


The Real World Isn't So Great Either

by Ferdinand_VonHellman_Gloucester



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Dramedy, Dreams and Nightmares, Eventual Romance, Everybody is Traumatized, F/M, Gen, Living Together, Post-Canon, Self-Harm, Trauma, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:06:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27162241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ferdinand_VonHellman_Gloucester/pseuds/Ferdinand_VonHellman_Gloucester
Summary: None of them had died, not really. After all, it was just entertainment. But even after everything they've endured, the world is quick to forget and move on. As the participants of the 53rd killing game are thrust back into a world they barely remember, they're left with the haunting memories of the trauma Team Danganronpa had given them. Everyone has their own methods of handling it, but when a fated encounter between two former ultimates sets off a series of reunions, they learn that maybe...they don't have to go through their pain alone anymore. After all......they promised to survive together, didn't they?
Relationships: Harukawa Maki/Momota Kaito, One sided Saihara Shuichi/Akamatsu Kaede, Saihara Shuichi & Tojo Kirumi, Saihara Shuichi/Tojo Kirumi
Comments: 25
Kudos: 66





	1. Nightmares, Despair, and New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Essentially this is something of an experiment, as I'm normally a Fanfiction.net guy and I'm still figuring out how to get through this site. NOTE: This story will be dealing with trauma. I don't claim to be an expert on trauma, as I only have my own experiences and the experiences of those I'm close to as a starting point. However, I realize the level of care I am expected to handle this kind of subject matter with and I will try my best to treat it with respect. If you feel like I'm traveling off the road, please do not hesitate to let me know, I always want to improve my work. Thank you and please enjoy the story.

"...are we rolling? We are? Oh!" The reporter took a deep breath and smiled brightly at her cameraman, bringing her mic up to her lips. "Greetings from the headquarters of Team Danganronpa!" she began, gesturing a sweeping arm to the building behind her. "We are here to hear the words of head of Team Danganronpa, Koichi Nakamura, after a very controversal conclusion to the Fifty-third season of the smash hit reality show, Danganronpa! Rumors have already been spreading about the show's cancellation, many blaming head of writing's Tsumugi Shirogane, who had participated as an ultimate in this wild ride of a season!

"For the past month, Team Danganronpa has refused to answer any questions regarding the future of the series, or the conditions of its participants! But in just mere moments, Mr. Nakamura will be appearing in front of all of us to FINALLY give an update!" The reporter turned to the front of the building and gasped. "OH! And here comes Mr. Nakamura now!" She gestured for the cameraman to zoom in on the head of Team Danganronpa.

The chairman was an older gentleman, with a weathered face and hunched posture. His suit appeared ragged and wrinkled, and he had huge dark circles underneath his eyes. He looked like he had just participated in the show himself. Clearing his throat, Mr. Nakamura leaned heavily against the podium and brushed his lips against his microphone. "I...will accept questions, now," he rasped, blankly gazing over the crowd.

A hand shot up. "Mr. Nakamura, can you give us an explanation of Danganronpa V3's conclusion?! Ms. Shirogane seemed quite intense in her role as the designated mastermind!"

Mr. Nakamura cleared his throat. "Ah...that..." he grimaced. "Here and Team Danganronpa...all of our employees understand the mental and emotional risks of...working with simulated murder." He cleared his throat and licked his crisp lips. "Danganronpa V3 is not...the first killing game Ms. Shirogane has participated in. Since Season Forty Nine, she has continously appeared as an ultimate. At first...we thought this a clever method, having our head of writing act as the mastermind for several games..." Mr. Nakamura sighed. "It seems that, in our excitement, we neglected to take notice of the mental toll it was having on Ms. Shirogane."

"MR. NAKAMURA, ARE YOU DEFENDING MS. SHIROGANE'S ACTIONS?!"

"No," grunted Mr. Nakamura. "Ms. Shirogane's views do not reflect ours at Team Danganronpa, and we have noted the potential danger she posed to the participants. We pride Danganronpa as a show the viewer can escape into, but Ms. Shirogane's actions alienated our audience and blurred the lines between entertainment and reality. For that..." Mr. Nakamura took a step back and bowed, lowering his head as he did so. "...you have our most sincere apologies. Danganronpa is a work of fiction and should remain as such."

The reporter finally had a chance to raise her voice above the din, pushing through the crowd and shoving her pic as high as she could. "MR. NAKAMURA!" she exclaimed. "WHAT WILL BECOME OF MS. SHIROGANE AND THE SHOW?"

"Ms. Shirogane has been removed from our staff," Mr. Nakamura explained, "she has been seen unfit for our team and we've ordered her to attend therapy regarding her personal views on hope and despair. Because of this, and the controversial ending of Danganronpa V3, Danganronpa V4 has been postponed until further notice." Immediately, a huge uproar exploded from the crowd at this sudden news. Mr. Nakamura faced it head on, and calmly spoke over the growing cacophony. "We apologize to those who wished to audition, but this decision is final."

"BUT SIR!" the reporter managed to butt in once more. "CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE PARTICIPANTS OF V3?"

"They have had their memories restored, of course," Mr. Nakamura assured the crowd. "They are readying to rejoin society once more, and the three winners will decide what to do with the prize money they shall be recieving. As per Danganronpa tradition, we will do our best to grant our participants the right to a private life away from the public eye, if they so desire. As also per tradition, we have recommended they not keep in contact with each other, as to not trigger any possible negative results."

"But are you sure this will be possible, Chairman?" a second reporter closest to the podium asked. "The controversy has resulted in a great interest with these participants, especially Shuichi Saihara!"

"We are aware of the risks," Mr. Nakamura said.

"...and?"

"That is all." the chairman grunted.

**SIX MONTHS LATER...**

Another nightmare...

Shuichi Saihara sat up in his bed, the sheets and blankets tightly tangled against his legs from his panicked scrambling. Sweat cascaded down his forehead and his body, drenching his shirt and moistening his pillow. The first hints of morning peeked intrudingly through his window's blinds, casting the room in a dark blue overcast. HE was breathing heavily, so loudly that he thought the neighbors would hear him. His eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, his hand tightened on his chest. 

'I can still hear them...' he shuddered, collapsing back onto his pillow, eyes fixated on the ceiling. 'Their cries...their begging...'

Shuichi sighed and ran one of his hands through his shaggy hair. "Just a nightmare..." he muttered to himself. "You're...at home. That place...isn't real anymore. You're...at home..."

His surroundings began to feel more familiar to him as he repeated the mantra to himself. Yes...this was his room. His ACTUAL room, with the bed that was too lumpy and the desk that was falling apart...The drawers that nearly stabbed his eye out, and... 

Shuichi grunted and reached for under his pillow, pulling out a small notepad and worn down pencil. 'My journal...' Flipping open to a new page, he began to write down his latest nightmare. His eyes had already adjusted to the dim lighting, his late night terrors teaching him how to write without relying on sight, going off of only muscle memory.

_I failed to solve a murder. Monokuma was laughing maniacally at my failure, calling me a weakling and a coward. I saw the fear in everyone's eyes, they were shivering and crying and cursing this damn killing game and there was nothing I could do about it! I tried to tell them it was going to be alright but I couldn't form the words over Monokuma's shrill voice taunting us and jeering at us without pause. I saw Tsumugi grin like a mad woman and she too joined in that fucking bear's victory screech. I felt hopeless. I failed, I let everyone down! They were glaring at me, cursing me with as much venom as they could, demanding to know why I couldn't save them...and I didn't have answer. I couldn't form an answer, it was like my voice was being taken away from me!_

_I saw Kaede there too. God, I can't remember what she was saying but her lips were twisted into a vicious sneer. Did she hate me? Did she blame me for everything? I wanted to ask but I couldn't..._

_I was helpless. Useless._

_They told me I should be the one being executed, as they were murdered before my very eyes._

_And...I believed them..._

Seven months had passed since the killing game, and yet the scars seemed so fresh in Shuichi's mind. After he, Himiko, and Maki had escaped together, they were swarmed by staff members of Team Danganronpa, and soon by reporters, and soon by psychologists and doctors. What Tsumugi said was true, they were just part of a reality show, just entertainment for a world full of psychopaths. Shuichi remembered screaming at the staff, having to be forcibly held back by Himiko and Maki as he demanded to know WHY. Why they were forced to go along with it, why they agreed to participate, why the world found it so goddamn entertaining to watch people die. The staff had calmly stated that everything would be alright, and that all answers would become clear soon.

He could still picture how Himiko fell to the ground and wept like an infant when it was revealed that their friends were still alive. That it was all more false memories and special effects, that they were all safe at home, living out their lives without ultimate talents. They had been aware of the truth since their supposed 'deaths'. Shuichi hadn't been sure whether or not they might have watched the rest of the killing game. He hoped they hadn't, he never wished for any of them to see what laid beyond their fictional lifespans. 

Then, the time came for their memeories to return to them. Their real ones, of their past lives. Maki in particular was frightened of the thought, she was worried of what she might see, what Team Danganronpa had seen in order to assign her the role of "Ultimate Assassin." Shuichi hesitated as well. Seeing his audition tape had disturbed him immensely, he was apparently Danganronpa's biggest fan despite being the one trying to end it. It didn't matter that his original self was aware it was all fiction, the fact that he thought of entering at all was enough to chill Shuichi to the bone.

So when the memories, the real ones, came flooding back...

It was still...hazy. Shuichi felt like he couldn't tell who he was half the time. Was he the Ultimate Detective, solving murders and battling wits with a robotic teddy bear? Or was he Shuichi Saihara: a lonely, talentless high school student with a hunger for simulated murder. The young man felt torn between two realities, sometimes the two seeming to merge for split moments. The hallways of Hopes Peak Academy could spirl all around him in an instant, only to vanish just as fast and leave him standing awkwardly in his kitchen. His mother, bless her heart, had tried to be understanding of his plight. However, it soon became clear to both of them that they were essentially strangers to each other, and his mother began to drift away until she was hardly home anymore, either slaving away at her desk job or drowning herself in a bottle. No doubt she was wondering how much she must've fucked up to have a son this disturbed in the head.

At times, Shuichi didn't mind having the small apartment situated at the edge of town to himself. He hadn't realized just how used he had gotten to being independent of adults until his mother attempted to make him a casserole during his first night back. That was an awkward dinner, he recalled. He could hardly remember anything about the woman and none of the questions she tried throwing his way seemed to land. They had eaten the casserole in silence, and it tasted bland. 

Other times, the isolation drove Shuichi nearly mad. He had grown accustomed to life in the academy, constantly surrounded by other people his age. When the boy had returned to school, he realized quickly no one was looking to be his friend. They thought of him as strange and half mad after seeing the finale to V3. Shuichi wished he could've gotten contact info from Himiko and Maki, but they had been separated not long after being exposed to their true memories. He knew that they, alongside himself, had been mailed a check containing their split prize money. Shuichi had nearly torn the check in half, though his mother had stopped him. Shuichi argued the money was tainted, he didn't want money that came from 'killing' his friends. His mother argued that they could use the money to buy a better house.

_"Do whatever you want with it, then,"_ Shuichi had muttered, _"I don't want it."_

She had ended up buying a new car that she managed to wreck in about a month.

Shuichi missed his friends...He desperately wanted to see them again, to make sure they were okay. More importantly...he wanted to see Kaede once again. The pianist had been a pillar of strength and comfort for him to lean against, even after she was removed from the killing game. Her influence shaped Shuichi into the confident detective he was during the latter half of the game, and learning she was still alive had been a dream come true for him. He had asked the staff if a visit with her was possible, but his dream was shot down instantly as they told him it was for the best that he and the other participants don't contact each other.

But Kaede still remained on his mind. Shuichi had time to reflect while inside the academy, and he had come to the conclusion that he had a crush on the pianist. Maybe more than a crush, but he dreamed of a day when they would meet and finally be together, like out of a fairy tale.

But fairy tales were just that, he supposed.

Dawn finally turned into proper morning, and Shuichi reluctantly rose out of bed, cringing as he felt his sweat covered shirt stick to his skin like a leech. He hurriedly peeled it off and made his way to the shower after picking a fresh set of clothes. After washing his sweat away, he made his way to the kitchen, checking to see if his mother had left for work yet. The kitchen was empty, meaning his mother would be gone for the day. 

'What to do...' Shuichi pondered, surveying his small home. He did NOT want to stay cooped up in his house all day, especially with it being the weekend. Perhaps...perhaps he could try going outside? 'Outside...' he sighed, glancing around for a sign of his favorite hat. He rarely went outside, unless it was for groceries or school. He hated the looks people gave him as he walked by, some awe and others scorn. Such was the fate of the Ultimate Detective, the protagonist of the most controversial season of Danganronpa. 

'Maybe...I can try that cafe not far from here?' he wondered, checking the fridge to see if he could make himself breakfast. Knowing he had no idea how to cook, he sighed and closed the fridge door, searching once more for his cap. Once he found it, he lowered it down to his eyes and took a deep breath. 'You can do this...' he told himself. 'You're just going to get a bite to eat. Don't look at anybody, and they won't look at you...It'll be okay...'

He threw open the door before he could stop himself, descended the stairs of his second story apartment, and made towards the cafe with a brisk walking speed.

Shuichi made damn sure to keep his eyes focused on the ground, avoiding anybody who got too close. He could feel judgemental eyes bearing down on him as he continued walking past other folks making their way through the neighborhood. People recognized him, people pointed him out and whispered among each other as he passed by. Shuichi felt his face grow hot as he shoved his hands deep into his pockets, desperately trying to make himself appear smaller, less noticeable. He fet his heart pound in his chest as he heard his named mentioned in a conversation a few meters away, his head grew light and his steps began to wobble. 

"It's that kid from Danganronpa..."

"The one who got it canceled."

"It's Shuichi Saihara!"

"What's he doing here?"

"Kaede should've lived, not him..."

'Please...' Shuichi silently begged as he stopped his walk. Tears welled up in his eyes and his hands balled into fists. 'Please stop talking about me...'

"What a creep, I bet he's itching to kill someone!"

"For sure, he's definitely thinking it!"

"I wonder what being in Danganronpa does to you..."

'I CAN'T TAKE THIS!!' Shuichi shouted internally. He spun on his heel and prepared to sprint all the way back to his bedroom, but a body got in his way, and the two ended up collapsing onto the ground with a large THUD!

"Owowowwww..." a girl's voice muttered painfully, and Shuichi nervously backed away.

"I'm so sorry about that," he gulped, offering a hand to the girl. "Please, lemme hel-" His words died immediately as the girl looked up at him. Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell agape as she stared at the boy standing over her.

"N-No fucking way..." Shuichi whispered,hand still awkwardly extended. Those doe like eyes, that soft blonde hair...The girl was unmistakable!

"Shuichi....?" the girl gasped, hand raising to her agape mouth.

"K-Kaede..." the boy squeaked out. "I...I..."

Dammit, why couldn't he SAY ANYTHING? His best friend from the killing game, the one he always wanted to see again, was RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM! IN THE FLESH!

"Shuichi..." Kaede said again, reaching up and grasping his hand. Hers felt soft...so fucking soft he almost wamted to cry. Was this real? She was actually here? In front of him?

"Shuichi, it's...shocking to see you again..." 

"Wha? OH!" Shuichi exclaimed and quickly helped the pianist to her feet. The two stared at each other for the longest time, neither daring to breathe. If they did, the other might vanish into thin air, revealed to be only an illusion. A cruel trick, Monokuma's final vengeance.

It was Kaede who dared to speak first. "Shuichi, you-" She was cut off as the boy's arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her into a warm embrace. The girl squeaked and blushed wildly as Shuichi buried his face into her shoulder, gently sobbing as he shook his head over and over. "Shuichi!" Kaede yelped.

"I missed you..." Shuichi whispered, sniffling. "I missed you...so damn much, Kaede!"

"I-"

"I-It was...so HARD!" Shuichi sobbed. "I thought you were DEAD! A-And then you weren't but they told me I couldn't see you, but..." He finally pulled away from her, hands moving up to tighly grip her shoulders. "Here you are!" Tears freely flowed down his cheeks, a nervous grin on his face. "It...is you, right Kaede?"

Kaede's eyes softened, and a small, sad smile formed on her lips. "Of course it's me, silly..." she half-giggled, before drawing Shuichi into a tight hug of her own. She heard Shuichi break into another sob, and she gently rubbed his back to comfort him. "Shuichi, it's okay...Everything is fine, I'm sorry for being away so long..."

"N-No...I'm sorry!" Shuichi protested. "I should've been looking harder for you and the others, I shouldn't have just sat there without doing anything!" He pulled the girl closer and took a deep breath, smelling the sweet scented perfume she was wearing. "I hope you can forgive me..."

"Shuichi..."

"Y-Yes, Kaede?"

...

...

...

Her voice suddenly turned hoarse; as dry as a mummified corpse. "..why...did you send me...to die?"

Shuichi's eyes shot open, his sking paling as that horrific voiced echoed in his ear. "W-What...?" He jerked away violently and stumbled back a few steps. He let out a choked gasp as he saw what stood, or rather _hung_ before him.

_"Shu...i..chi..."_ the hanging corpse of Kaede rasped, her blank eyes staring straight through him, her mouth baely moving as her swollen tongue poked out. _"It...was...n't...meee..."_

The bloodcurdling, shrieking cackle of Monokuma echoed all around Shuichi as Kaede continued to choke out her accusations. Shuichi fell to his knees and grabbed his hair wildly. "No!" he shouted. "NO! NO! NONONONO!!!"

"UPUPUPUPUPU!" Monokuma continued to laugh hysterically as Kaede's swinging corpse inched closer to Shuichi.

_"Y...You...killed...me..."_

**"AUGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"**

Shuichi launched out of his bed screeching at the top of his lungs, his jaw so wide his cheeks threatened to split apart. The former ultimate detective collapsed onto the ground, still screaming bloody murder as he tossed his body around, still hearing the damning voice of Kaede in his head. He felt bile rising to his throat, and he made a sizable pile of it on his carper, still screaming all the while.

"KAEDE!!" He cried out, tears covering his face. "KAEDE I'M SORRY!"

"SHUICHI!" a vaguely familiar voice gasped, and a feminine pair of arms wrapped around his chest, keeping him still as he continued to struggle. "Shuichi, it's okay! It's okay!"

"I KILLED HER!" Shuichi sobbed. "I WAS WRONG ABOUT THE CULPRIT AND I FUCKING KILLED HER!"

"No you didn't!" the woman argued back, pressing herself against his back. She began speaking gently into his ear. "She's still alive, Shuichi, we all are. You didn't kill anyone, you were having a night terror..."

"BUT-" Shuichi cut himself off as he finally realized he was back in his room. He stopped struggling and coughed hoarsely, hand rising to his throat. "I-I...haven't had a nightmare....that intense...before..."

"It happens..." the woman assured, lowering Shuichi's head and resting it on her lap. "Just...relax for a bit."

The smell of bile hit Shuichi like a freight train, and he noticed his vomit that sat just half a meter away. "Oh, no..." he mumbled.

"Don't worry about it," the woman told him, "I shall handle it later."

"I'm sorry..."

"Do not apologize, Shuichi. It's going to be okay."

"O-Okay, but..." Shuichi coughed again. "Who...are you?" He finally glanced up at the woman whose lap he was occupying, and his eyes widened slightly with recognition. "Ki...rumi?"

The Ultimate Maid smiled curtly and nodded. 

Shuichi blinked. "How...did you get in my house..?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_"Audition 8119: Korekiyo Shinguji. Interview starting now. So, Mr. Shinguji, tell us about yourself."_

_"Oh? Well, uh...to be honest there really isn't that much to tell. What do you want to know?"_

_"Let's start with your background. In the case that you are selected, we'll typically pull details from your background in order to devise a basis for you."_

_"In that case...My parents died when I was little. As long as I can remember, it's just been me and my older sister. You see, she's basically been my guardian this whole time, she raised me all by herself and I know that could not have been easy for her at all..."_

_"Go on."_

_"Well, I've always wanted to pay her back for everything she has done for me. There was a time she was in the hospital a lot, and I felt so helpless and pathetic, because I couldn't do anything for her. She hasn't been able to take care of me like she used to since her time in the hospital, but she tries to hide it from me. She acts like everything is okay but the truth is...I'm a lot older now. I know she's struggling. Physically, mentally, emotionally, financially...If I can just remove one of those things for her..."_

_"Ah, so you're interested in the cash prize?"_

_"Well...yeah. That, and...my sister really likes this show. I'm sure she'll be excited to see her little brother on worldwide television."_

_"I see...Mr. Shinguji, what role would you like to play, in the case that you were selected?"_

_"...Is it okay if I don't have an answer to that? I don't know which role I could be..."_

_"That's fine, we can always choose what we think would be best for you. That includes the interview, we'll contact you if you get the part."_

_"Oh! Um...thank you!"_

_..._

_..._

_"Korekiyo Shinguji...An interesting case. His personality is timid, unsure...that would definitely need to change. While his personality itself is not interesting enough for a killing game, his appearance...I'm sure the costume designers could make him look marketable. That pale skin, the long black hair...Without knowing his personality, he would appear mysterious, otherworldly...deadly. He looks like...a perfect killer. Someone that could send shivers down the audience everytime he appears on screen. And his sister...surely she can be included as well. It is my verdict that Korekiyo Shinguji be added to Danganronpa V3's list of ultimates. Surely someone like him could make a killing game very interesting..."_

The audition tape ended there, and Korekiyo stared at his laptop blankly. Several moments passed, then several minutes. Still, Korekiyo did not move.

"Kiyo! Dinner's almost ready, are you gonna come out of-" the door opened, and a pale, beautiful woman with flowing black hair entered the room, pausing when she saw the state of the young man. "Kiyo..." she asked cautiously. "Is everything okay?"

Korekiyo's eyes finally inched away from the laptop, and instead they turned to the woman. "Kotone..." he murmured. He looked away once again, his hand moving up to cover the lower half of his face. "Do I look...deadly to you?"

Kotone blinked, then chuckled half heartedly, shaking her head. "Of course you're not deadly, little bro," she assured him, moving closer. "You wouldn't hurt a fly-"

"I asked what I _looked like,_ Kotone!" the former ultimate hissed, slamming his laptop shut. The sudden jolt of noise caused his sister to jump a little, and her smile was quick to disappear.

"Have you been looking at stuff relating to the game again?!" she demanded, eyes narrowing. "Kiyo, you know what your doctor SAID about that. You can't just-"

"CAN'T WHAT, KOTONE?!" Korekiyo barked, rising to his feet, eyes wild and frightened. "Can't acknowledge what I am?! A MURDERER?!"

Kotone sighed and approached her little brother, placing her hands as gently as she could on his shoulders. She gave them a squeeze and pecked his cheek. "Kiyo...you're not at that academy anymore. Everyone is alive, you're not a killer. You're just...struggling, is all. You went through a traumatic experience you still think you're responsible for, but you're not...It was just a show, okay?"

"...okay..." Korekiyo agreed reluctantly, looking away. "I'm sorry..."

Kotone smiled softly. "Don't be, my little Kiyo..." she cooed, patting his cheek. "Just remember, you're Korekiyo Shinguji, nothing will change that. You're not a murderer, and that'll never change." She perked up and started walking out of his room. "Now come on! I made curry for dinner! It's your favorite~" She winked and left the room, leaving Korekiyo alone.

The boy released a shaking breath he didn't know he was holding. He covered the lower half of his face once again and closed his eyes, trying to keep his tears from escaping. 

"Oh, Kotone..." he whispered. "If I'm not a murderer...then why do I still hear that other you? Why does she still want me to do terrible things...?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shuichi sat at his kitchen table, a blanket draped over his shoulders as his trembling hand held a mug of tea, which he occasionally took small sips from. His mother was still out of the house, probably drunk at a bar somewhere, and Kirumi Tojo was currently inside his bedroom, cleaning up the disgusting mess he had made in his panic. He felt...pathetic. He had nightmares before, but that one was different from the others and he had no idea why. If Kirumi hadn't shown up, he wasn't sure what would've happened to him.

Speaking of...he still had no idea what she was doing here, or how she had gotten into the house. He supposed he would figure out soon enough...

Glancing out the kitchen window, he only just noticed that it was dusk. Strange...how long had he been asleep? He could've sworn he was awake...was his mind just messing with him?

"All done," Kirumi announced, tossing away the last paper towel as she sat across from Shuichi.

"You didn't have to do that..." Shuichi murmured, glancing down at his feet.

"Of course I had to," Kirumi retorted. "I am a maid, after all."

"Wasn't that just your ultimate talent?" the former detective asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kirumi pursed her lips and sighed. "A force of habit, I suppose," she answered quietly.

Shuichi took this opportunity to look over his new house guest thoroughly. The first thing he noticed was how...strange she looked without her signature maid uniform. Instead, she wore a dark green school uniform, with a red scarf tied around the collar. Her headband was now a much simpler one, less noticable. She lacked gloves, her hands pale and delicate. She still wore black stockings, though with the combination of her school uniform, they made her look less regal and more...

...cute?

Shuichi coughed and took a sip of his tea. "So...what are you doing here?" he asked. "Not that I mind, honestly I've been happy to see Kokichi again if it meant meeting someone again..."

Kirumi sighed and wrung her fingers together. "Your door was unlocked. I heard you screaming so I rushed in."

"Right, but...what were you doing in my neighborhood, in front of my apartment?"

Kirumi glanced away, looking nervous. "I suppose...that does warrant an explanation, doesn't it?" she guessed.

"Well, yeah," Shuichi nodded, scooting his chair closer.

"Well, the truth is..." Kirumi paused and took a deep breath. "I...am a runaway, at the moment."

"A runaway?" Shuichi gasped. "But why?"

The maid's eyes narrowed. "That's...not important right now, Shuichi. You're asking for the how, not the why."

"...okay..."

"So, while I was running away, I was considering the options I had available to me," Kirumi explained, straightening her posture.

'She acts almost just like she did at the academy,' Shuichi noted, 'that's good, at least some things haven't changed.'

"...after realizing I had virtually none, I thought about attempting to contact one of you for help," Kirumi continued. "Then...I remembered the promise we made together..." She glanced away and blushed lightly.

"Promise?" Shuichi repeated.

The maid nodded. "Back during the killing game, we made a promise," she reminded him. "We promised that after we escape Hopes Peak, I would pledge my services to you, and you would become my master. I've come here to make that pledge."

"W-What?!" Shuicho exclaimed. "W-Wait, hold on! You aren't a maid anymore, right? That was just something they made up! You don't have to live up to that selfless devotion anymore, you know!"

"I do, actually," Kirumi countered. "I may not be a maid anymore, or maybe I've never been a maid to begin with, but..." She leaned forward and rested her hand on Shuichi's, which was still holding his mug. "In this real world...I have no talent. I have no purpose. I'm just a girl with nothing to offer the world. I _hate_ remembering the academy but at least there I was USEFUL to everyone. And..." She looked away again, Shuichi was certain he had never seen her look so vulnerable. "...I miss being useful. I'm not useful where I was, that's why I ran away. That's why...I want to serve you, Shuichi. It's not for your sake, it's for mine."

"Are...Are you sure about this, though?" Shuichi asked.

"I'm not," Kirumi answered honestly, "But...it's the best idea I have. I can't promise to be a perfect maid, but I still remember the basics from the false memories they gave me. Please, Shuichi," she begged, reaching for his other hand. "I need this."

"I..." Shuichi paused when he saw the look on Kirumi's face. She looked so...open, like he could read her like a picture book. Back at the academy, she always kept herself in check and rarely showed her true feelings. But here she was, putting it all on the line.

"I..." Shuichi said again, then sighed. He took Kirumi's hands in his and smiled. 'They're...so soft,' he thought.

"Of course, Kirumi," he assured her, "I'll accept you as my maid!"

"Really?!" Kirumi gasped, all sense of professionalism leaping out the window and she jumped to her feet. "Thank you so much, Shuichi! I promise I won't-"

At that moment, the door flung open, and in walked a tired, middle aged woman who stumbled drunkenly into the kitchen. She froze when she saw the teenage girl standing inside her kitchen, and her eyes slowly turned towards her son.

"Mom?" Shuichi gasped.

"Shuichi..." his mother slurred, turning her gaze back to Kirumi, who was standing straight and alert. Ms. Saihara looked the girl up and down and then chuckled. "Awww, Shuichi, such a pretty little girl you managed to pick up..."


	2. Anger, Trickery, and School Uniforms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little note: Beginning half of this chapter takes place about a day before the first chapter. Please enjoy!

_"Mr. Momota, do you know where you are?" the figure in the chair asked, a clipboard lazily draped over their thigh, a pen lightly tapping against their temple._

_Kaito glanced around at his surroundings, taking careful notes of every detail of the room. The figure's chair was a simple wooden one, as was Kaito's. The room was nearly pitch black, if not for the sunlight trying to squeeze through the blinds to the astronaut's right. To his left, he could just make out a door, a sliver of hallway lighting appearing at the bottom. Kaito tapped his foot against the ground. Carpet. Odd choice, he noted, clicking his tongue absentmindedly. A faint hum was heard above his head, possibly connected to the faint breeze that flicked his hair one way. A ceiling fan, Kaito realized._

_What the hell kind of place was this? There had to be a reason he was sitting here!_

_"Mr. Momota?" the figure cleared their throat. "May you please answer the question to the best of your ability?"_

_"..." Kaito frowned and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "...Hell?" he finally guessed._

_Judging from the amused snort of the figure, Kaito could only assumed that he was not, in fact, trapped in Hell. But knowing that, he could not think of anymore options._

_"You're in a room, Mr. Momota."_

_Now it was Kaito's turn to snort. "Yeah? How'd you figure that?"_

_"To be more specific," the figure continued, ignoring Kaito's words, "you're inside the headquarters of Team Danganronpa."_

_"Dangan-what?"_

_"Mr. Momota, what's the last thing you remember before arriving in this room?" the figure asked._

_"The last thing I-" Kaito's words were cut off by a fierce cough tearing through his throat, lighting his lungs on fire as he struggled to breath through the assault. He doubled over and clawed at his throat, shuddering as the coughing finally subsided. "Goddamn, that's right..." the Ultimate Astronaut rasped, running his fingers through his hair. "Shit, that's right... That fucking piece of shit Monokuma stuffed me into his little homemade rocket, and blasted me off." Kaito's eyes narrowed as his head began to fill in the pieces, the fog in his mind clearing. "But...he didn't win, my damn sickness merc'ed me before the bear had the chance to..."_

_"..." the figure remained silent, but leaned forward._

_Kaito's eyes shot open wide, and he rose to his feet as the chair he was sitting on fell to the ground. "HOLD THE FUCK UP!" he swore, glaring down at the figure. "I fucking DIED, what the hell is this place?!"_

_"Calm down, Mr. Momota," the figure ordered, voice turning hard. "You're not in any danger, and you're not dead."_

_"I-I'm...not dead?" Kaito repeated under his breath, collapsing to his knees. "What do you mean...I'm not dead?" he muttered, gazing up at the figure in confusion. A knot formed in his stomach, and his hands began to grow clammy. "H-Hey..." he weakly called out, reaching his hand forward and grasping the figure's pant leg. "T-Tell me...what the fuck that means! I-If I'm not dead, then what happened after my trial? WHAT HAPPENED TO ME?!"_

_"..." The figure sighed and reached underneath their chair._

_"Fucking answer me, you creep!" Kaito demanded, gritting his teeth. "How am I alive? Where are my friends?!"_

_The figure revealed what they had hidden under their chair, and Kaito's fighting spirit waivered as he recognized what it was._

_"T-That's...a flashback light," Kaito croaked._

_"In a way, yes," the figure replied. "However, this one works a bit differently from the one you've seen in Danganronpa."_

_"What the hell are you talking about?"_

_"We'll start with only a small exposure," the figure said, fiddling with the device for a few seconds. "It would be unhealthy to have all your memories restored at once, so for now we'll simply explain to you how you've gotten to where you are now." The figure raised the flashback light. "Mr. Momota, please direct your eyeline to this device, and make sure not to blink."_

_A blinding flash burned through Kaito's vision, and he let out a hiss as he threw himself back, his head cracking against the fallen chair. Wincing in pain, he laid still for a moment while waiting for the colors to stop dancing around him._

_"Jesus Christ..." he groaned._

_The figure put down the flashback light and scooted their chair closer. "Mr. Momota, are you alright?" the asked. "Do you remember how you joined Danganronpa?"_

_"...yeah," Kaito mumbled, squashing his feelings of anxiety, dread, anger, and fear as he remembered auditioning for the killing game. He remembered the excitement he felt, thrilled that they had accepted his audition. He had thrown his arms around his grandparents and exitedly told them the wonderful news. He remembered ignoring their barely hidden worry and disappointment, they had mentioned several times that they did not approve of Danganronpa's methods for entertainment. He had told them that it would be alright, and that he'd come home the winner of the on record shortest season of Danganronpa. He had told them that he was going to eliminate everyone in the first round and come back with a huge sum of cash, and that they'd all go on their dream vacation together._

_And with a final fairwell, he was on the first train to Hopes Peak Academy, and things...did not go according to plan._

_'Fuck...' Kaito swore, flinching at the memory of his grandparents. 'They're gonna be so pissed at me...'_

_Taking a deep breath, and once more keeping his emotions at bay, Kaito shakingly rose to his feet and stared directly into the figure's face. "My first order of business..." he stated, causing the figure to tilt their head in curiosity. "My friends. Are they all okay? They're...not hurt?"_

_The figure nodded. "Of course, Mr. Momota," he reassured. "Danganronpa is just a show, it's fiction. We would never send teenagers to slaughter. Trust me, they're completely unharmed."_

_Kaito's face tightened, his pulled back emotions beginning to force themselves outward. "Unharmed?" he repeated, his figure beginning to tremble._

_"...Mr. Momota?"_

_"My second order of business..." Kaito growled, finally withdrawing the curtains on his emotions. Rage coursed through his veins, settling into his fist. "...Is that's fucking BULLSHIT!" With a feral roar, the Ultimate Astronaut reared back his fist, before sending it crashing straight into the figure's jaw. The figure crumpled out of his seat in a daze, but before they could react, Kaito was already on top of them, pummeling their face as they desperately tried to shove him off._

_"It's BULLSHIT!" Kaito repeated. "Do you have ANY IDEA what it was like being inside that damn place?!" He grabbed the figure's hair and slammed their head into the carpet. "YOU FUCKING ASSHOLES! Why the hell would you allow a bunch of KIDS to sign up for this shit?! Why did you allow ME to sign up for this shit?!" He dug his thumbs into the figure's eyes, ignoring their attempts to shove him away. "YOU'RE ALL MONSTERS! Letting all this suffering happen just to sell some fucking DVD's!"_

_"S-Security!" the figure screeched, desperately clawing at Kaito's face. "SECURITY!!"_

_The door burst open as two large men rushed into the room, each grabbing an arm and ripping the mad dog that was Kaito off of the figure. Yanking him towards the exit, they struggled to keep Kaito still and he continued thrashing desperately._

_"I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" he screamed, tears flooding from his reddened eyes. "I'LL MAKE YOU ALL PAY! DO YOU UNDERSTAND, YOU SICK FUCKS?!"_

_"These SICK FUCKS," the figure repeated, rising to their feet, "are the same people YOU begged to let you MURDER!"_

"How many times do I have to repeat that story?" Kaito grunted as he slumped in his seat, keeping his eyes away from the man that sat at the desk across from him.

"As many times as it takes for you to understand what you did was wrong," Takeo Miyamoto, a volunteer probation officer, ages 65, responded, a friendly smile plastered on his wrinkled face. 

"I don't regret what I did," Kaito argued, "especially after what he said about my friends."

"I understand, Kaito," Miyamoto said, shaking his head. "Truly, I do. And I do not blame you for what happened. However, rules are rules and these are just the things I have to ask you."

Kaito sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, I get it..." he muttered. "But can we at least cut the formal crap? There's no one in this building except us." Kaito straightened his posture and leaned in to say, "Did you get what I asked?"

Compared to others on probation for assaulting someone, Kaito's case was considered to be a bit more special. The lawyer who had defended him stated that due to the trauma Kaito had recieved during Danganronpa V3, him lashing out was only natural and he should not be given heavy charges for it. Eventually the mattered was settled that Kaito would be assigned a probation officer that he would meet before school once a week, as well as counceling once a week as well for a period of a year. The officer, Takeo Miyamoto, was only a volunteer, and his gentle demeanor was considered ideal to help reign in Kaito's resentment. 

Miyamoto sighed and ran a hand through his thinning hair. "Yes, but-"

"Let me see it!" Kaito jumped up, a grin on his face.

"Now hold on!" Miyamoto barked, standing up as well. "There's things you need to know first! One, I could get into a lot of trouble if they find out I did this for you! Two, the psychologists at the court hearing BLATANTLY said that contacting another participant could have loads of unknown risks!"

"I don't care about that!" Kaito exclaimed. "Takeo, PLEASE! I have to see her again, I have to believe that the bonds we formed at the school were real!"

"Is that Kaito Momota the real person speaking?" Miyamoto questioned, his temper quickly diminishing. "Or Kaito Momota, the character?"

"W-What?" Kaito murmured, sitting down once more. 

"They told me about this possibility, you know." Miyamoto grunted as he eased himself back into his seat. "That it's possible for reality and fiction to blur together for a participant, and that it can lead to irrational behavior."

"What does that mean?" Kaito asked.

"Kaito, you need to understand!" Miyamoto hissed urgently. "Maki Harukawa is not who you think she is! The Maki you met was a fictional character. She doesn't exist!"

"To hell with that!" Kaito fought back. "I don't care what Team Danganronpa says, I KNOW the bond Maki and I had was real! And that's why I need to see her!"

"Kaito..."

"If you don't think I should, then why did you get her info for me?!" Kaito demanded, his breathing growing erratic as his vision began to tunnel. "W-Why...would you give me that false hope..?"

"...Originally, I was going to have you give it to your counselor," Miyamoto explained, looking away. "But...I..."

"Takeo..."

"Christ, fine!" Miyamoto cried, shoving a slip of paper into Kaito's hands. "That's her school's address. This exchange _never_ happened, got it?" The old man shook his head. "I'm serious, Kaito, both our asses will be up in smoke of anybody figures this out."

"I promise they won't!" Kaito assured, standing up and taking a deep bow. "I won't forget this, Takeo! I'll be forever in your debt!"

"I know, kid..." Miyamoto took a deep breath. "But...you have to promise me this one thing, okay? You're not allowed to leave my office until you promise."

"Promise what?" Kaito wondered.

"I won't get on your ass if you visit her school, but..." Miyamoto made sure Kaito could see the steel in his eyes. "Do not talk to her. We have no idea what could happen, and that can harm both of you in the long run. So please, promise me you'll keep your distance, okay?"

"But I-"

"PROMISE ME!"

"Jeez, okay!" Kaito yelped, jumping back. "I promise! I promise!"

"Good..." Miyamoto sighed, relaxing finally. "Now...get out of here, you'll be late for school."

Kaito gulped and nodded, quickly shuffling out of the office and soon out of the whole building. With his school only a block or so away, it was only a short walk, but still gave time for Kaito to think. Simply put, he knew that what Team Danganronpa said couldn't be true. There's no way every thought, feeling, and action was scripted. That...had to be impossible! Sure, they may have given them false identities! Sure, they may have directed their actions through subtle means, but they simply COULDN'T have known what the ultimates were thinking! No matter what they did, there was no way they could control his thoughts, because those thoughts were his own. Which meant that his bind with Maki, and Shuichi...they HAD to be real. 

He needed to believe that...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Awww, Shuichi, such a pretty little girl you managed to pick up..."

"MOM!" Shuichi choked, cheeks going bright red as he started to panic. "I-It's not like that, I swear!"

'Pretty?' Kirumi repeated to herself, her own cheeks turning a faint pink. 'Surely, an exaggeration...'

"You've never brought home a girl before, Shuichi..." the former detective's mother continued to slur. "That *hic* isn't like you..."

Kirumi watched the two go at it back and forth, and she fidgeted nervously. Should she step in? Should she introduce herself? Let Shuichi handle it? Hell, make a break for it? She tried falling back on her instincts as the ultimate maid, but to her horror she found that she could not. Her mind continued drawing only blanks, and she chewed her lip nervously. Of course...she was never _actually_ the ultimate maid, was she? That was simply a fabrication, meant to cover her actual talentless life. Of course, having it taken away was a huge blow to the young woman. The killing game was cruel, and the memories of her execution laid in the darkest pits of her mind, and yet...She missed being the ultimate maid, she missed the feeling of satisfaction she would get whenever she successfully helped one of her classmates.

And it was ripped out of her hands, and she was forced to return to her meaningless, talentless life. She was not the prime minister of Japan, she wasn't even remotely close to a maid. Everything that had made her feel special...was gone. That was when she decided to run away, to find a purpose again. It wasn't a coincidence she ended up in Shuichi's apartment, their promise the day before the 'death' of Ryoma Hoshi had rang in her ears for days, and she scoured through every source she could think of to find him. She figured that perhaps...she could find solice in him. Team Danganronpa made it clear on several occasions that former ultimates meeting up was to be discouraged, but to hell with their rules! She had already been controlled by them once, she saw no point in allowing them to control her again! 

So, like a raven taking flight, she fled from her talentless life. She needed to escape that dread, she needed to escape that void!

And also, she most importantly needed to escape-

"Oh! My apologies, sweetie..." Shuichi's mother finally turned to Kirumi, a large frown dragging her cheeks down. "You shouldn't have to be seeing me like this...I would have thought Shuichi had been asleep by now."

Shuichi's mother was a pudgy woman, Kirumi noticed. And short, much shorter than Shuichi. Messy black hair fell past her shoulders, huge loop earings poking between the strands. Her face was caked with makeup, an obvious attempt to recover some lost youth.

Kirumi cleared her throat and stood up, lifting her skirt slightly as she performed a polite curtsy. "It is quite alright, Mrs. Saihara," the former maid reassured. "Please, allow me to make introductions. My name is Kirumi Tojo, I'm..." She trailed off, thinking for a moment. Nodding to herself, she continued. "I'm a classmate of Shuichi."

"So polite!" Mrs. Saihara cooed, clasping her hands together. "My, does Shuichi know how to pick them!"

_"Mom!"_ Shuichi squeaked, tugging down his cowlick as a replacement for his hat. "It's not like that at all, I swear!"

"S-Shuichi is correct," Kirumi coughed, glancing away and tugging at her collar. "We're just friends, Mrs. Saihara."

"If you insist," Mrs. Saihara sighed, pushing past the pair. "Well, it's getting late, isn't it? Shuichi, you should *hic* call your friend's house, I'm sure her parents are-"

"NO!" Kirumi exclaimed, before swiftly slapping her hands to her mouth, eyes widening. Both Saihara's flinched at her sudden outburst, and two pairs of eyes locked onto the girl, who suddently felt like the earth should swallow her up. "Uh...I-"

"Kirumi's house is having some issues!" Shuichi quickly butted in, turning back to his mother. 

'Shuichi...' Kirumi thought.

"Oh?" Mrs. Saihara raised an eyebrow.

"Y-Yeah!" the former detective insisted. "That's why she's here late! I invited her to stay with us until the problems with her house are cleared out!" He bowed his head and gulped. "I-I'm sorry, mom, it must've slipped my mind until now."

"Hmmm..." Mrs. Saihara hummed suspiciously, eyes flicking back and forth between the two teenagers. "Kirumi, dear," she said slowly, "what's happening at your house?"

Kirumi stiffened, as did Shuichi. The two shared a worried glance, but Kirumi decided to bite the bullet and say the first thing she could think of.

"Sewage leaks," she answered, noticing Shuichi's shoulders relax. "Several pipes burst and practically flooded the whole place. My parents are staying at my uncle's house for the time being, but he doesn't have room for all three of us, so Shuichi said it might be possible to stay here for awhile." She bowed and silently congraduated herself of her flawless lie. "If that would be okay with you, Mrs. Saihara."

There was a tense silence for several moments, until Mrs. Saihara let out a defeated sigh. "Can you cook?" she asked. "Can you clean? You and Shuichi are old enough to care for yourselves, I can't go providing for another person unless they can work."

"Of course I can!" Kirumi perked up, nodding along confidently. "In fact, I actually want to a mai-"

"Housekeeper!" Shuichi finished, subtly shaking his head at Kirumi. "Kirumi is experienced with housekeeping, so her staying here won't be an issue, right?"

"...If that's the *hic* case, then..." Mrs. Saihara shrugged. "I suppose I don't mind. Although, you will need to figure out where the poor girl is going to sleep." Hiccuping once more, she retreated into her room. "Goodnight then, dears..." she sighed, shutting the door.

Shuichi sighed in relief when his mother was gone, and collapsed back onto the kitchen chair, rubbing his temples. "Finally..." he muttered. "That was close."

Kirumi hovered by the boy's side, pursing her lips and tilting her head in curiosity. "Shuichi, why did you hide the fact that I'm now the maid of this household?" she questioned.

Shuichi looked up at the girl and frowned. "Same reason you didn't tell her how we actually knew each other," he reasoned. "Even if the chances are low, I didn't want to risk her putting two and two together and realizing you were an ultimate. She would freak if that happened..."

"Ah," Kirumi tutted, wringing her fingers together. "I suppose she...isn't a fan, then?"

"...I never told her I auditioned for Danganronpa," the boy admitted quietly. "She didn't know until the first episode aired, I told her I was just going on a field trip..."

"Shuichi..." Kirumi reached for the former detective's shoulder, but he brushed her away.

"When I came back, she tried to be understanding but...we drifted further apart," he explained. "She didn't start drinking until I came back. She didn't start taking long shifts at work until I came back." He closed his eyes and hunched over. "I suppose...she's just trying to forget about me."

Kirumi stared at him for several moments, unsure of what to say. Cautiously, she reached out her hand again, and ran it through his hair, gently twirling his cowlick as she thought of what to say.

"It must be lonely," she muttered.

"...yeah," Shuichi agreed.

Kirumi thought about it, but then smiled. "But hey," she said, leaning down. "That won't be a problem anymore, correct? Because now we have each other for company."

Shuichi lifted his head and rubbed his chin in thought. "I...I suppose," he mumbled. He turned to face Kirumi and gave a small smile. "Thank you, Kirumi, I feel a little better now."

"Of course," Kirumi acknowledged with a small bow. "It's a maid's duty to ensure her master is at his best, after all."

"Speaking of maids," Shuichi muttered, looking the girl up and down, "you don't have any spare clothes, do you?"

Kirumi sighed and shook her head. "I'm afraid...I did not have the time to pack," she admitted sheepishly.

"Oh..." Shuichi stood up and nodded. "Wait there, I'll go find some spare clothes for you to sleep in." He hurried past her and disappeared into his room, leaving the girl alone.

Sighing, Kirumi moved to the living area and sat herself on the sofa, taking the time to observe her surroundings. Because it was a small apartment, it wasn't as traditionally Japanese as other houses she had seen. The front door led straight into the kitchen, where a small round dining table stood in the center. Next to that was the living room. While the kitchen was tile, the living room and adjacent rooms were all carpet. The sofa, more of a loveseat, sat on one end, with a standard television afixed to the wall across from it. Beneath that was a small shelf filled with various DVD cases, a DVD play, and a remote. Next to that television was a slender door, and when Kirumi went to inspect it she noted it was a supply closet. Returning to the sofa, she saw the bookshelf that stood over it. Books of various subjects filled the space, and a singular picture of Mrs. Saihara and what must have been a Shuichi as a small child was nestled into a corner.

Continuing her tour of the house, Kirumi turned to the sofa's left and saw the door Mrs. Saihara had entered. 'So that's her room...' she nodded to herself. Past that door was a small hallway, with another closet and a small bathroom. At the end of the hallway was Shuichi's room, where she had first heard his screams of terror.

It was...shocking, seeing the young man contort his body into those shapes, screaming of how he had damned Kaede to her death. Though, it was not an unfamiliar sight. Kirumi could still recall her first night back home, and how Ryoma had appeared in her dreams to curse her existence.

Shaking her head of such thoughts, she returned to the sofa to wait for Shuichi's return. From her understanding, the apartment did not seem like it would require intense levels of care, and would only need moderate cleaning throughout the week. Good, the former ultimate maid may have still remembered _some_ of her counterpart's skills, but a smaller home to care for would be great practice.

"Sorry it took so long," Shuichi apologized as he came back with clothing draped over his arm. "I was trying to find clothes without..." He glanced away and shook his head.

"Without?" Kirumi lightly pressed.

"...Without Danganronpa logos," Shuichi clarified reluctantly. "I...was a big fan of the show. I have merch from nearly every season." He shrugged. "Except Season 17. Nobody liked Season 17, it-" He cut himself off with a frustrated sigh. "Whatever, I managed to find some clothes." He gently handed them to her and gestured towards the bathroom. "You can go change in there, I'll get a spare futon from the closet."

"Thank you," said Kirumi as she slipped past Shuichi. Locking the door behind her, she took a quick moment to survey the bathroom. Like the rest of the home, it lacked any Japanese influence. Small, cramped, with a bulb that flickered way too often for her liking. Sighing, she began to peel off her uniform. It was a relief to get it off, it was stiff and uncomfortable to wear, and she had dreaded the possibility of sleeping in it. She glanced at herself in the mirror and blushed upon seeing her barely clothed self. She was never one to pay much attention to her figure, even before the killing game, and she wasn't about to start now. Next she removed her shoes and stockings, and slipped on the pair of shorts Shuichi had provided. The eleastic band ensured that the shorts would not slip off of her, but she made for a ridiculous sight, seeing how big on her they looked. She picked up the shirt and glanced it over. Dark green like her uniform, she noted. And on the right of the chest...a familiar banner.

Kirumi's eyes widened and she nearly dropped the shirt. Holy shit... Did she and Shuichi SERIOUSLY attend the same school? She blinked rapidly, trying to process this information. How...how unlikely of an event was that? Hell, she had never even seen him around the halls before, how could she have missed him all this time?! She shook her head and huffed. Whatever, she supposed it hardly mattered anyway. She reached behind to remove her bra, but stopped. 

Should...she really be taking off her bra in a boy's house? Her cheeks turned a faint pink, but the former maid huffed again and quickly tore the undergarment away. Whatever, it was probably fine. Shuichi hardly seemed to be someone capable of trying anything. Slipping on the school shirt, she exited the bathroom and found Shuichi waiting for her in his room.

"I got your futon ready," he said, gesturing to where he had laid it out. Kirumi raised an eyebrow. So, he expected them to share a room, too? Was he even aware of the implications of this request?

"Shuichi..." she started. "I can sleep in the den, you don't have to-"

"Please," Shuichi begged, catching the girl by surprise. He bit his lip and lowered his head. "Can you...please sleep there tonight? Just in case I have another nightmare?" He locked eyes with her and took a deep breath. "The last thing I want is to be alone right now."

"..." Kirumi considered his offer, and then slowly nodded. Of course, there was nothing nefarious about it, there was no reason to refuse. She knew the former detective wouldn't plan anything like _that._ "Of course, if that is your request," she accepted, bowing low and hoping she came off as a true maid.

Shuichi let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "You're the best, Kirumi," he said before crawling into his bed. Kirumi flicked off the light switch and laid herself down on the futon, drawing the blanket Shuichi had provided over her body. Closing her eyes, she began to settle in, when Shuichi spoke up.

"Tomorrow, I think we should shop for clothes," he suggested. "I doubt you'd want to wear your uniform outside of school all the time."

"That's correct," Kirumi agreed. She slipped one eye open. "Speaking of which, Shuichi..." She shifted her blanket. "I found out the most peculiar thing thanks to the shirt you've provided. Apparently, we've attended the same school together all this time. Is that not a coincidence?"

"Hm?" Shuichi grunted, before she heard him smack his head. "Oh, that! Yeah, I already knew. I've even seen you wandering around now and then."

"..."

"Kirumi..?"

"You... _what?_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter we'll be paying another visit to Kiyo. Thank you for reading!


	3. Panic, Bonding, and Fury

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally this chapter was going to include a bit more of Korekiyo's story towards the end, but I felt the chapter had gone on long enough and Kiyo's POV could be saved for the next one. Fair warning: stuff at the end of this chapter gets a little...heavy. Granted, this is probably what most of you expected for a story with the "Angst and Hurt/Comfort" tag, but still. Anyway, please enjoy the chapter.

_Blood cascaded down her formerly pristine sleeves as she dug her hands again and again into the thorny vines. She had lost feeling in them since what seemed like ages ago, and her arms burned as she continued to pull herself higher and higher. Her thighs clamped to the vine with a death grip to keep herself from falling, her layers of clothing proving to do very little in keeping them protected. Below, she could hear the desperate cries of her classmates, begging her to reach the top. She glanced upwards, the afternoon sky teasing her with its warm glow, coercing her to climb further. She briefly paused as her tears flowed down her cheeks, blurring her vision. She leaned her head down and used her sleeve to wipe the tears away, caking her face with blood as a substitute. It did not matter, all that mattered was reaching the top._

_For her country, for her citizens, she HAD to live! That was the duty of the ultimate maid! "There...is no duty..." she growled, gritting her teeth tightly together as she made a risky climb, using what strength she had to jump for an extra few, precious inches. "...that...I cannot...FULFILL!" She took another moment to catch her breath, hanging on for dear life as the vine swung back and forth._

_"KEEP CLIMBING, KIRUMI!" a classmate screamed._

_Kirumi nodded to herself. Yes...this was for her classmates too. Perhaps, when she escaped, that would somehow end this killing game. Perhaps she could use her position as prime minister to save them! Maybe then...she could be forgiven for the actions she was forced to make..._

_Suddenly, a mechanical whiring came from above her. Whipping her head up, her heart sank into her gut as she saw dozens upon dozens of spinning buzzsaws jutting from the rocky walls. Her determination wavered, and her grip on the thorns loosened. Not realized until it was nearly too late, she let out a startled gasp as she almost slipped from the vine. She caught herself just in time, but the vine had started another violent swing. She squeezed her eyes shut as she desperately prayed for it to stop, fearing what would happen if the vine happened to brush against one of the saws._

_"DON'T QUIT NOW!" a second classmate encouraged from below._

_Kirumi slowly opened her eyes, daring to let them face the ground that loomed beneath her. She could faintly make out the figures of her classmates, their gazes trained fearfully up towards her._

_And among them, the student screaming for her to keep climbing._

_"Shu...ichi?" she croaked, and almost wanted to laugh. First he had comdemned her to this damn torture, and now he's begging for her to live. What an idiot...what a perfectly peculiar idiot._

_Nodding to herself, she gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes. No, SCREW this fucking place. She wasn't going to die in this hell hole! "Keep...climbing..." she hissed to herself._

_When the first buzzsaw sliced through her thin sleeve and tore a gap in her arm, she wanted to cry out and fall. When the second did the same thing, she nearly dropped to the ground. With every inch she climbed, their serated teeth tore her skin to ribbons, her arms were shaking and every pull forced her to use strength she didn't even have. "I-I...I won't-"_

_Another buzzsaw shot out from the wall behind her, shredding deep into her back. Kirumi let out a shriek that deafened herself, and she could feel her strength fading rapidly as she sobbed like a child. "I don't...want...to die..." she hiccuped. "I...I want to..."_

_Another pull. Just a few more, she was almost home free!_

_'I want to...serve my people...' she thought to herself, glancing up to see the sky openly greeting her. 'I want...to serve...my friends..' She reached out her hand, desperate to feel the breeze of the outside world. 'I...want to...serve...Shu-'_

_Her hand touched solid rock. For what felt like an eternity, she hung there, her mouth agape as she hopelessly clawed at the childish picture that sat above her. 'What...is this?!' she internally panicked. 'No...No! No! No! NO!'_

_And then the vine snapped, and all Kirumi could do was cry out in despair as she plummeted to her death._

Her eyes burst open, and with a panicked choke she shot up into a sitting position. Hunching over, she clutched her chest as her breathing became increasingly erratic. Her vision was spiraling, and her hands whipped out, madly patting the area around her, heartbeat working in overdrive as she could not find what she was searching for. Squeezing her eyes shut, all she could hear was her heart pounding throughout the walls, like a musician had attached giant bass speakers to her chest.

"...UNIFORM!" she suddenly gasped, scrambling out of the covers and crawling to the door. She reached up and swung it open, unsteadily rising to her feet as she stumbled out into the hallway, noticing one of the doors was cracked open. She could see the bathroom mirror, and with a broken sigh of relief she practically lunged for the door. All she could see were the most vague of shapes and colors, and she felt like her brain was preparing to burst from her skull. The girl collapsed into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her and locking it.

A hysterical mess by now, Kirumi's sights locked onto the crumpled pile that was her school uniform. "..pocket.." she recalled, grabbing at her uniform's top and stuffing her hand inside its front breast pocket. She heard the fabric tear, but she ignored it as her fingers clenched onto the bottle she was looking for. Ripping it from the pocket, Kirumi had just opened the bottle when-

_"Upupupu~"_

Kirumi jumped out of her skin and nearly screamed as that haunting laugh reverberated off the bathroom's walls. In her panic, the pills that were in the bottle were flung out, clattering noisily onto to floor. "NO!" she gasped, trying to scoop them back up into her palm. She managed to save two, but to her horror the resr rolled underneath the sink. Kirumi bit her lip as Monokuma continued to taunt her from God knows where, and she tried to reach under the sink, but could not fit her hand through the gap.

"Fuck!" she swore, pounding a fist into the floor. Tears fell from her eyes and formed tiny pools on the floor.

_"Upupupu~"_ that damn voice cackled again.

"Shut up!" Kirumi hissed, shaking her head. "You're not real!"

_"Haven't you seen all the merchandise, toots?"_ the mechanically high pitched voice jeered. _"I'd say I'm as real as they come! Upupupu~"_

"I said SHUT UP!" Kirumi snarled, unclenching her fists and shoving the two surviving pills into her mouth. She swallowed them with difficulty, then leaned herself against the bathroom door. Shutting her eyes, she brought her knees up to her chest and buried her face into them, quietly sobbing to herself as she waited for Monokuma's grating voice to finally fade away. After what seemed to be hours, she finally allowed her shoulders to drop, and she wiped her tears away.

'Dammit...' she cursed. 'I haven't had an episode like that in weeks...That came out of nowhere...' Her gaze rose slightly, and she noticed the empty pill bottle laying on the floor. She winced and mentally kicked herself. Ah...that would also be an issue. Perhaps that shopping trip Shuichi mentioned would also allow her to visit a pharmacy. Sighing, she reached over and took the bottle in her hand, staring at it blankly. 

_Take two by mouth each morning after waking up, and one by mouth each night before going to bed._

Well, she had forgotten to take one last night, so perhaps that was what caused this episode? She shook her head. No, she doubted that was the reason, or at the very least not a major factor. What could it have been?

A pit formed in her stomach as one possible reason crossed her mind, but she forced herself to exorcise the thought. 'No, I won't believe it's because of that,' she scolded herself. 

Groaning, she finally rose to her feet and spotted the waste bin sitting next to the toilet. She tossed the bottle inside and gazed at herself in the mirror. Fuck, she looked like a mess... Turning on the faucet, she began to wash her face as she remembered the situation she was in. Technically, today was her first day as Shuichi's maid. She was expected to perform at her best, to dazzle the household with her skills. As a new maid, it was imperative that she made a stunning first impression. First impressions were the make or break moment for a new employee, and she...

Kirumi hung her head in shame.

...had nearly blown it all. 

She could only consider it a miracle her panic attack had not awaken Shuichi. If he had seen her like this, she would wish for the earth to open up and plummet her to its core...

Splashing more water onto her face, mentally kicked herself again. 'You're not the ultimate maid,' she reminded herself, wincing as the words cut through her. 'And Shuichi isn't a master...he's...'

A friend, she remembered. Of course, this wasn't a job. She wasn't making any pay, and she knew Shuichi did not expert her to perform as her ultimate counterpart would. He was a friend, a _good_ friend who was letting her hide away in his house out of the kindness of his heart. Looking at herself in the mirror, she jabbed a finger at her reflection and said, "This is a new beginning, Kirumi Tojo. Just go out there and embrace it!"

...

...

...

Kirumi yanked her hair in frustration. "That didn't help at all!" she whined pathetically. Grumbling about how motivational speakers were full of shit, she finally managed to look passibly acceptable again. Opening the bathroom door, she returned to Shuichi's room and poked her head inside.

The former ultimate was sound asleep, lightly snoring as his face was buried in his pillow. He looked...much more peaceful than he had the previous night, and Kirumi smiled softly. Was it because of her that he was able to get a good night's rest? The thought...was a pleasing one, it was a thought that lightened Kirumi's mood, somewhat. 'I should let him rest a little longer,' she thought, 'I can make breakfast in the meantime.' Closing the door, she tiptoed through the hallway and past Mrs. Saihara's room. She considered checking to see if Shuichi's mother hadn't left for work yet, but decided that it wouldn't be a good idea to possibly invade the woman's privacy. After all...she wasn't aware of who Kirumi really was, or why she was here. It would be for the best to let Mrs. Saihara believe in the lie she and Shuichi had fed her.

'Honestly, I worry about what would happen if the truth was revealed,' Kirumi hummed as she entered the kitchen. 'From what Shuichi said, it would be a...troubling situation.' Well, the part of friend needing housing would come easily enough. Especially since...

_"You KNEW?!" Kirumi hissed, rising to her knees and glaring at the cowering young man. "Why didn't you say anything? Or wave? Or SOMETHING?"_

_"I-I didn't want to risk upsetting you!" Shuichi sqeaked, pulling his covers up to his chin. "I was worried you would hate me or something!"_

_"...idiot," Kirumi sighed, rubbing her temples. "I could never hate you."_

_"Well I know that NOW," Shuichi muttered. "But...you know what those guys said. They really don't want us speaking with each other..."_

_"Does that matter?"_

_Shuichi blinked. "Eh?"_

_"We...we went through that hell together, Shuichi," Kirumi said quietly, looking down at the floor. "Not just you and me, but all of us. And...it was fun, when we weren't killing each other. All of you made me feel like I had a purpose, so why should I listen to what some damn TV executive has to say about it?"_

_"Kirumi..." Shuichi remained quiet for a few moments, then sighed. "You know I think that too, but...what if the others don't think that way either? What if-"_

_"What if Kaede doesn't feel that way?" Kirumi guessed, tilting her head. During their time in the killing game, it was obvious that Shuichi and Kaede had formed a very close bond, one that many predicted would evolve naturally into a relationship, including Kirumi herself. However, that prediction was destroyed after the conclusion of the first trial. Thinking back on it, the result still left a sour taste in the former maid's mouth._

_"...yeah," Shuichi confirmed. Taking a deep breath, he laid down on his pillow and closed his eyes. "We...should get some sleep. Goodnight, Kirumi..."_

_Kirumi flinched at the sudden shift in atmosphere, but laid down as well. "Goodnight...Shuichi..."_

Kirumi grimaced at the memory. 'I hope he feels better today,' she thought as she opened the fridge. There had to be something here she could whip up for breakfast. Perhaps that would be the key to lightening up Shuichi's day...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Breakfast is ready, Mas- I mean, Shuichi."

Shuichi yawned and stretched his body as Kirumi entered his room, lingering at the doorframe with her hands clasped together. She bowed her head slightly and asked, "Would you prefer to eat at the table? Or would you rather I bring it to you on a tray?"

Shuichi shook his head and rubbed the sleep away from his eyes. "N-No," he answered, "I'll eat at the table. I'll be there in a few minutes, just lemme get ready."

Kirumi nodded and bowed once more. "As you wish, I'll see you then." She stepped out and closed the door, and Shuichi collapsed back onto his pillow, groaning as he rubbed his temples. "She didn't have to act like a maid just now..." he mumbled. "I never know how to handle that..."

With reluctance, but also with the promise of food, Shuichi rolled out of bed and stretched once again, scratching his back as he moved to his drawers. He figured he should try changing into something nice, considering he and Kirumi would be out in town today. Settling first on a pair of jeans, he tugged those on as he searched his room for wherever his cap ended up. Finding it somehow under his bed, he huffed in annoyance as he searched his drawers for a suitable shirt. He shuddered and grimaced as he rummaged through dozens of Danganronpa shirts, Monokuma's bastard face grinning at him with every one he tossed away. 'I have to throw these out at some point,' he told himself, making a mental note that he would. Finally, a plain gray T-shirt was settled on. Shuichi grabbed his cap and carefully set it on his head. Satisfied, he made his way to the kitchen, and was greeted by the wonderful sight and smell of eggs, bacon, and pancakes. 

Mouth already watering, he was about to sit down and thank Kirumi for the meal when Kirumi firmly stopped him with a hand on his chest. The former detective stared at her in confusion. "Kirum-"

"Did you even wash your hands?" Kirumi asked, arching an eyebrow.

Shuichi frowned and shook his head. "Kirumi, that's-"

_"Shuichi."_

Shuichi gulped and slumped in defeat. "Okay..." Dejectedly, he left the kitchen to head for the bathroom, swearing that he could've heard Kirumi faintly giggle. Shaking his head in bemusement, he chuckled softly to himself as he shut the bathroom door behind him. 'I guess I can take a leak before I wash up,' he thought, moving to face the toilet.

As he did his business, he glanced down and noticed something peculiar. Zipping his pants back up and flushing the toilet, he leaned down and reached into the waste bin, pulling up what appeared to be an empty pill bottle. 'Well, this doesn't belong to me...' he realized, squinting as he brought the label close to his face. "These are...antidepressants," he muttered, biting his lips. He noticed the name on them and a small knot formed in his gut. 'These are...Kirumi's...' 

Now...Normally, a bottle of antidepressants would be of no concern to the former ultimate detective. After all, he had been on antidepressants once upon a time. With everything Kirumi went through, and hell...everything they ALL went through, any of them being seen with medication wouldn't raise any eyebrows.

No, a bottle of antidepressants wasn't worrying at all...

An _empty_ bottle of antidepressants, however...

'Why...would it be empty?' he wondered, grabbing his chin thoughtfully. 'Surely there has to be a reason...Could it be that she-' The invading thought disturbed him, and he quickly tossed the bottle back into the bin. Biting his lip, he moved to the sink and began to wash his hands, scrubbing them furiously as he tried to keep any negative possibilities out of his head. 'No way,' he told himself. 'It can't be like that, there's no fucking way Kirumi would-' He groaned and splashed water onto his face, muttering to himself to calm down.

'Maybe I should ask her,' he thought. He glanced up at the mirror, locking eyes with his reflection. His reflection shook his head, eyes wide. Shuichi gulped and quickly dried his hands. 'You're right, that's a _terrible_ idea!' He grabbed the door knob and took a deep breath. 'I won't bring them up, I don't want to over step any boundaries. I'll just...watch her for now, I guess.' Nodding to himself, he pulled open the door and forced what he hoped seemed like a natural smile on his face. Making his way to the kitchen, he was once again hit with the absolutely heavenly scent of breakfast, and his worries naturally started to wash away. Sitting down at the kitchen table, his mouth began to water once more as Kirumi placed his food in front of him.

"It's not much, but I did the best I could," she explained, hovering by his side as she anxiously waited for him to eat his meal.

"It smells divine!" Shuichi exclaimed, taking a large bite of scrambled egg. He closed his eyes, moaning in delight as he leaned back in his seat. He chewed slowly, savoring the taste. Warm, fluffy, seasoned _just_ right, it was...familiar. Homely. Swallowing, he began to reminisce on the last time he had this breakfast...

"W-Well?" Kirumi pressed, cursing herself for her stammer. "Is it...satisfactory?"

"Are you kidding?" Shuichi chuckled, taking a bite of his bacon. "You have no idea how much I missed your cooking, Kirumi."

"I-" Kirumi's face turned pink. "Shuichi, surely you must be exaggerating. I'm not the Ultimate Maid anymore, I'm just Kirumi."

"Well then _Kirumi_ has the best cooking I've ever had," Shuichi praised, turning to devour his pancakes.

"T-Thank you..." Kirumi stuttered, losing her composure entirely and shyly rubbing her arm. "That...means a lot to me."

"You know..." Shuichi started, taking a sip of the orange juice Kirumi had been kind enough to provide him. "You don't have to keep up the maid act. Why don't you sit down too and have some?"

Kirumi chuckled and bowed slightly. "No need to worry yourself for my sake, Shuichi," she assured him. "Your mother and I already ate while you were still asleep."

"My mother?" Shuichi groaned. "Was she...good?"

Kirumi blinked. "I...I suppose so," she answered truthfully. "She was in a bit of a hurry though, she said she was going to be late for work."

"And she didn't...suspect anything, did she?"

"Other than asking why I was cooking breakfast, no." The former maid shook her head. 

"That's good..." Shuichi breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced up at the clock that sat high above the kitchen, nearly choked, then began to scarf down his food like his life depended on it.

"S-Shuichi!" Kirumi exclaimed, eyes widening. "Why are you-"

"It's 10:30," Shuichi explained, guzzling down the remainder of his orange juice. "Go get dressed, we're going to be in town for awhile."

"Ah." Kirumi clicked her tongue. "I suppose we may leave now. But why the rush? Surely our shopping won't take that long, right?"

"Of course not," Shuichi shook his head as he scooted past her. She followed behind him as he entered the bathroom, already starting the process of brushing his teeth. "But it's going to leave us hungry again by the end. If we leave now, we'll be done right in time for lunch."

"I suppose you have a point..." Kirumi muttered, stepping behind the boy and picking up her discarded uniform. Nodding to herself, she draped her clothes over her arm and stepped out of the bathroom. "Very well, then," she agreed. "I shall be sure to cook us a nice lunch-"

"Ahkewly," Shuichi interupted, toothbrush deep in his mouth. "We're gowin' owt to a reshrant."

Kirumi blinked. "Pardon?"

Shuichi spat out the toothpaste. "I said, we're going out to a restaurant," he repeated.

"A-A restaurant?" Kirumi bit hit her lip and fidgeted. "Um...why?"

Shuichi wiped his mouth with a towel and sighed. In truth, he had only just thought of it. If Kirumi was having problems with those antidepressants, then as her friend it was his job to watch over her. Perhaps if he could turn this shopping trip into a fun activity, it would liven Kirumi's day, and he wouldn't have to worry about her. But for now, he needed an answer that didn't involve him finding her pill bottle.

"Oh...you know..." Okay, could've been better, but at least-

"No, I don't know," Kirumi fired back, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

Shuichi gulped.

"...whatever," Kirumi sighed, shaking her head. "If you're finished, please allow me to change."

"Of course," Shuichi quickly said, ducking out of the bathroom.

The door shut behind him, and the former detective let out a sigh of relief. He staggered to the sofa and sat down on it, eyes trained on the bathroom door as he waited for the former maid to exit his bathroom. Having a girl- A very pretty one at that- should have been a bigger deal for Shuichi, and yet it's been less than a day and Kirumi's presence slipped right back into his life like a glove. He thought back towards the beginning of the killing game, before Tsumugi had eliminated Rantaro and kicked off the start of the chaos. Those first few days had been...relatively peaceful. And right in the center had been Kirumi, stoically tending to every need of the students. Having her back now was like falling back on an old routine.

'But I don't want to treat her as some servant.' he reminded himself, leaning back in his seat. 'I never wanted to treat her like a servant.'

He chuckled to himself as he looked back on the memories. Him trying to break her out of her shell, the quiet, peaceful moments they shared when no one had been around...

The heartbroken expression that twisted up her face as he accused her of-

_SMACK!_

As if on instinct, Shuichi's hand jerked towards his face and smacked across his cheek. He winced as he rubbed his face, sighing and turning to face the floor. 'I can't think about that,' he scolded himself. 'This is supposed to be a new beginning for us...' 

As if on cue, the bathroom door swung open and Kirumi stepped out, now fully dressed in her school uniform. Once again, Shuichi could only think of her outfit as "cute". Her maid uniform had an air of regality to it, a sophistication neither him nor the other students would havew hoped to reach. Despite her insisting she was but a mere servant that would respond to their everyone whim, the confident aura she exhibited convinced everyone that she was anything but.

The Kirumi that stood in front of him was, by all means, not that. The Kirumi that had reentered his apartment gave the same level of care, but with hardly any of the regal confidence. Instead, she came off as, well...a high school girl trying her best. Shuichi thought it was an endearing quality, and he was beginning to enjoy this new side of Kirumi. He wondered briefly if any of the others would feel the same way if they met her. 'Though, I suppose none of us are like how we were in the game,' he mused, standing up and walking to the front door as Kirumi dutifully followed him. He held open the front door for her. Kirumi blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting the action. She gave Shuichi a thankful smile and stepped through, the former detective following after her. As they descended the stairs, Shuichi's mind wandered towards the previous night, when Kirumi had confronted him about their attendance of the same school.

Of course, he wanted to approach her more than anything. The months after Danganronpa had been hard, and lonely. He remembered what it felt like to see Kirumi for the first time...

_Shuichi's fork clattered noisily to the floor as he stared off past his friend's shoulder, catching sight of another table in the dining area. His friend narrowed his eyes in confusion, and followed the former detective's gaze, gulping when he saw what he was staring at it. A young woman with hair the shade of ash and large peridot eyes sat alone at her table, isolated in her own little bubble. She was poking at her food mindlessly as her eyes trained down towards her feet. Her lips tugged into a small frown, her shoulders hunched as she seemed to look like she wanted to disappear. The confident nature of her was gone, but there was no doubt in Shuichi's mind of who he was looking at._

_His friend seemed to be thinking the same thing, and he slowly turned to the former ultimate with a worried frown. "Shuichi...?"_

_"It's...it's her..." Shuichi breathed, a lump forming in his throat. Without thinking, he stood from his seat and began inching his way towards the girl. Immediately, his friend sprung into action, Stepping in front of the boy and placing his hands on his shoulders._

_"Whoa, whoa!" his friend hissed, eyes wide as he tried to guide Shuichi back to his table. "Shuichi, my man, what do you think you're doing?"_

_"Wha-?" Shuichi furrowed his brows and shook his head. "Let go of me, man, I have to go talk to her!"_

_"Noooo you don't!" his friend protested._

_"You don't understand!"_

_"I DO understand, Shuichi!" his friend growled, finally overpowering the former detective and sitting him back down. "Trust me, I watched the whole damn season. I know who she is, and I know that judging by how she's sitting, she wants to be alone. Think about it!" Shuichi's head slumped as his friend continued. "What if she DOESN'T want to see you, man? Then what? Now we have a scene on our hands!"_

_"But I..." Shuichi trailed off weakly, glancing up to see Kirumi hurrying out of the cafeteria._

"So..." Kirumi started, fidgeting at the silence. "What's this shopping trip...going to be like?"

"Huh?" Shuichi's head snapped up. "Oh! Um, well...We're going to just hit a few clothing stores, for starters." he explained, rubbing his chin in thought. "Probably nothing too expensive, I only have so much on my card. And then after that I suppose we'll grab lunch."

"What kind of clothes will you be purchasing?"

Shuichi shrugged. "Whatever you want, I suppose," he said. "It's your fashion sense."

"Whatever...I want?" Kirumi tilted her head, furrowing her brow in confusion. "Hm..."

Shuichi stopped, arching an eyebrow. "Kirumi..." he started. "Have you...never shopped for clothes before?"

"Of course I haven't!" Kirumi retorted. "It was never something I could do, it was always the serva-" She closed her mouth and froze. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. "I never had the time." Turning on her heel, she continued the walk. "Let's keep up our pace, Shuichi."

Shuichi lagged behind for a moment, but quickly caught up to the young woman. That slip of the tongue she had did not get by him, he had picked it up as soon as she had. Was...she about to say servants? Shuichi blinked. Was...Was Kirumi _rich?_

"By the way, Shuichi," Kirumi began, "there's some...private shopping of my own that I'd like to do after we buy my clothes." She glanced away and sighed. "I'd hate to ask to use your card, but-"

"I don't mind," Shuichi assured with a shrug. "You don't have money, I guess?"

Kirumi shook her head. "N-No, I do," she insisted. They passed by a couple of children playing with chalk, the former maid daintily stepping over their drawings. "It's just...I did not have as much time to pack as I would have liked. I'm afraid I left behind a majority of my belongings."

Shuichi shrugged again and sighed. "Don't worry about it," he said, smiling gently at the girl. "I can put my number on your phone and you can just text me when you're done."

"..." Kirumi's cheeks turned an embarrassed shade of red.

Shuichi's smile fell. "Kiru-"

_"I might have left that at home as well,"_ Kirumi hissed under her breath.

"What?!" Shuichi bawked, stopping their brisk walk. 

"I didn't have time to pack!" Kirumi once again explained.

"Have you ever heard of _pockets_?" 

"Women don't have pockets, Shuichi!"

"Then what's that on your top?!"

"This!" Kirumi growled, pointing at her torn breast pocket. "Can barely fit a pen inside it! Do you see this tear, Shuichi?"

"Just wear pants!" Shuichi suggested.

"We don't have pockets on our pants, Shuichi!" Kirumi glanced over the boy's shoulder, sighed, and grabbed him. "We're not discussing this right now," she grumbled, leading him back on their walk. "Don't upset me on this date, Shuichi."

Shuichi nearly fell back with the double take he did. Did she just say-? Did she think-?

"Shuichi?" Kirumi called over her shoulder. "Is something else the matter?"

"N-No," he gulped, "it's just...what you said..."

"Oh?"

"N-Nevermind..."

The continued their walk, Kirumi seemingly oblivious to the awkward silence. Shuichi silently thanked the big man upstairs when they finally reached the shopping center, though Kirumi seemed taken aback by all the people that surrounded them. "This is...quite a lot," she muttered, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. 

"Not used to crowds?" Shuichi guessed. The former maid nodded.

"Yes..." she answered shamefully. "I...was sort of isolated growing up. And I've always kept to myself at school..."

"Stay close to me if you'd like," Shuichi offered. "I'll try to keep us out of the crowds."

Kirumi nodded, and latched herself onto Shuichi's arm, shuddering as an older man brushed past her. Shuichi blushed but noticed the uncomfortable gaze the former maid had. The former detective realized what must have happened and was about to turn around and confront the man that passed by, when Kirumi shook her head. "He's not worth it," she said, tugging at his arm. "Let's hurry."

"Okay..." Shuichi muttered, leading her towards the first clothing store he could find. They stopped if front of what looked to be an alternative entrance to a shopping mall, one that led directly into a department store. The two stared at the entrance for a couple moments. "Is this okay with you?" Shuichi asked. Kirumi nodded, and the two headed inside. Immediately, they were greeted by an overly cheerful employee.

"Hello there!" she beamed. "Is there anything I can help you with today?"

"Just clothes shopping," Shuichi answered.

"Well don't hesitate to ask me for anything!" she laughed. "It's my job to help out all of our beloved customers! Especially those who are former ultimates!" She laughed again as she showed them her wrist, revealing a Monokuma tattoo. Shuichi's blood ran cold as the grisly mascot grinned at him, and Kirumi's hands tightened so hard that the young man was sure she was going to rip off his arm. 

Shuichi gave an awkward smile and nod to the woman, thanking her as the two teens hurried away. Once they were out of the employee's sight, Kirumi sighed and finally loosened her grip, though she still hung off his arm. "I guess...It makes sense we'd be recognized," she mumbled.

"I suppose..." Shuichi led her far away from any employees, the two stopping behind a clothing rack. 

Kirumi eyed the clothes around her cautiously. "So...how are we doing this?" she asked.

"Um..." Shuichi scratched the back of his neck. "Well, you find something you like, then go to one of the dressing rooms and try it on. And if you like how it looks on you, we'll buy it." He began to search through the racks. "You're going to want to try on multiple, you're going to want enough clothes to last at least a week."

"I see..." the former maid hummed, joining Shuichi at the racks. She carefully skimmed through them, eyes flicking between each article of clothing. "How about...this one?" She pulled out a simply knitted sweater, holding it over herself as she awaited Shuichi's thoughts.

He looked her over and smiled. "I bet that would look great on you," he complimented earnestly. 

The two continued to scan over different clothing choices, until finally Kirumi had a full wardrobe she could call...acceptable, in her mind. At least, Shuichi seemed to enjoy them, complimenting her everytime she stepped out of the changing room. It filled her with confidence, knowing that her clothes had some effect on the boy, and that confidence came with more theatrical poses, many which they shared a chuckle over.

Shuichi noticed that many of Kirumi's choices seemed to be a mixture of sweaters, leggings, and dresses/skirts. Nothing that he would call fashionable, but they were all so...her. So unapologetically Kirumi, those clothes looked the best on her.

However, there was ONE problem...

"That was...a lot better than I expected," Kirumi giggled, _actually_ giggled, as they exited the department store. She hummed and walked with a skip in her step. She turned back to her friend and said, "thank you so much, Shuichi!"

"Y-Yeah..." Shuichi wheezed, his face red and covered with sweat as he struggled to keep all the bags wrapped around his palms off the ground. "N-No...problem..."

Kirumi furrowed her brows in concern. "Shuichi, are you alright?" she wondered, reaching towards him. "I can hold a couple of bags, if you'd like."

"N-No!" Shuichi protested, ignoring the fact that his fingers were rapidly turning purple. "I-It's customary...for...the m-man to hold...the b-bags!"

"Shuichi, please!"

"I-I'm....FINE!" he protested.

"You're clearly not!" Kirumi rushed over and scooped half the bags away from him, setting them down on the ground as she watched the color return to the former detective's hands. "There, that should be fine now."

"..." Shuichi looked down, frowning. 

"Shuichi?" 

"It's just..." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, glancing away as he blushed awkwardly. "You...called it a date. I know we're just friends, but I still wanted to give you the best time I could when I heard you say that."

Kirumi felt her cheeks go pink. She had called it that didn't it. "It was just a slip of the tongue, Shuichi," she explained. "And trust me, you've done more than enough to show me a good time. I'm still looking forward to our lunch, after all."

"Really?" Shuichi perked up, smiling. "I'm glad!"

"Of course," Kirumi curtsied and glanced back at the department store. "Shuichi, may I have your card?"

"Huh?" Shuichi blinked and reached into his pocket. "I mean, sure, but why?" He handed the card to her, which she delicately took and held between her fingers.

"A purchase I need to make," she said simply.

"The private one?"

"Yes, thank you for rememebering." Kirumi bowed her head and and started back towards the department store entrance. She turned to look over her shoulder and smiled. "I won't be long, just sit there for a few minutes."

"Yes ma'am," Shuichi sighed as he leaned against the wall of the store. 

Once Kirumi was inside, she made sure to avoid that first employee, who was busily chatting up some customers with that wide, unnatural grin plastered on her face. Kirumi felt a small shudder run up her spine, and she quickened her pace as she exited the clothing store, entering the actual shopping mall. Large sums of citizens waltzed in every direction, a constant hum of chatter filling the air. Kirumi immediately shrank back, hunching her shoulders as her eyes anxiously scanned the area. To her left she saw a directory, and with a deep breath she quickly scurried to it. Huddling at its center, she carefully underlined each word with her finger, lips moving silently as she searched for a pharmacy.

'Aha,' she thought once she found it. 'That's not too far.'

Crowds were a curse, Kirumi thought as she was forced to push past the waves of people going about their shopping businesses. She hissed in pain as a child accidentally stepped on her foot, fighting the urge to verbally tear into the brat. 'Calm down..' she told herself, taking a moment to close her eyes. 'Just keep walking...' She tried her best ignoring the near overwhelming din, and the rapid pace tempo her heart was starting to reach. 

_An entire sea of people, crying out to her as they chased her down the rocky hallways. Throwing signs and words of venom her way, leading her to the thorny vine that would be her undoing..._

Kirumi quickened her pace, her eyes falling to her feet as she tried to appear smaller than she was. Perhaps then, people would miss her, and she could get through unscathed. As she continued on her journey, she was well aware of the stares she was receiving, she knew that they all recognized her. Dozens of pairs of eyes drilling holes through her body, she felt like a newborn rabbit surrounded by hungry, desperate foxes. God, were they whispering about her?

_"Wait, isn't that Kirumi Tojo?"_

_"What? No way! I wonder what's she's doing here..."_

_"Oh my god, she was my favorite! Should I go say hi?"_

_"Heeey, she's kind of cute. Think I can get lucky tonight?"_

_"I bet she's into that master-servant roleplay, ehehehe~"_

Kirumi growled to herself and walked faster, narrowly avoiding someone reaching for her shoulder. Honestly, whoever liked Danganronpa was a pig. All of them. 

The pharmacy never seemed like more of a safe haven than it did when Kirumi finally stepped into it. Sighing in relief, she stepped to the back of the line and waited. Thankfully, the line was made up of older people, ones who most likely would not have seen Danganronpa V3. She waited patiently with her hands folded gently at her waist, fiddling with Shuichi's card as an act of stimulation. When her turn finally arrived, she politely smiled at the pharmacist, an older, balding gentleman with round glasses balanced precariously on his nose.

"Ah, hello there, young lady," he greeted, his voice cracked and dry. "What can I do for you?"

Kirumi gave the pharmacist a head bow. "I am here to pick up a prescription for Kirumi Tojo."

"Of course...of course," the pharmacist turned to his computer, typing away at it as he clicked his tongue. Nodding, he turned back to the young woman, smiling warmly. "May I see your ID, please?"

"My...ID?" Kirumi gulped and played with her skirt nervously 'Dammit!' she cursed. 'I should have known...but it was always the servants who picked up my description!' Outwardly, Kirumi began to shift in discomfort. "I..."

"You ID, Ms. Tojo?" the pharmacist requested again, peering at her over his glasses.

"I'm afraid...I don't have it on me..." Kirumi murmured sheepishly, face hot with shame.

"Ah, well that won't do," the pharmacist tutted, shaking her head as he returned to his computer. 

"W-Wait!" Kirumi gasped. "Can you not just let it slip this one time? I just ran out today and I need them by tonight!"

"Hmmm..." the pharmacist hummed, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. Then, his eyes shot open, then narrowed into slits as a devilish, almost predatory grin. 

Kirumi already had a bad feeling about this.

"I think..." he hissed, sitting up straight. "We can reach an agreement, Ms. Kirumi Tojo." The way her name slid off of his tongue made Kirumi wish to vomit.

"Um..."

"I'm not asking for much," he 'assured' her. "Just a selfie or two. You were quite the fan favorite, Kirumi Tojo~"

"A-Actually," she said, eyes darting towards the exit, "I don't think I'll pick up that prescription today-"

"Are you sure?" the pharmacist asked, standing up and moving around his desk. 

"Y-Yes," Kirumi answered, hating how her voice had cracked. She spun on her heel to leave, but the pharmacist stopped her with what he said next.

"You know," he mentioned casually, "a man claiming to be the father of one Kirumi Tojo has been calling every pharmacy in the area." He hummed playfully as he stepped closer towards her. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

"..." Kirumi clenched her jaw tightly.

"He says the most peculiar things, that man," the pharmacist continued. "He wants any pharmacy to contact him immediately and tell him about his daughter's wherabouts if she were to come in and try to pick up some antidepressants. I wonder why he would be asking that of us..."

"...sounds like it's none of your business," Kirumi hissed, turning to face the man. He shrugged and nodded.

"I suppose that is true," he agreed. "And...it can remain none of my business, if I get what I want."

"...bastard..."

"Come now!" the pharmacist laughed. "It's just a photo, Kirumi Tojo! It's not like I'm going to hurt you." He pulled out his phone and inched closer and closer towards the girl. "The ultimate maid would never refuse a request...right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shuichi continued to lean against the wall, drawing the brim of his hat over his eyes to not draw attention to himself. Kirumi seemed to be taking awhile, he hoped she wasn't getting into any trouble. Sighing, he surveyed the crowd around him, taking mental notes of every little peculiar thing he noticed. The couple arguing across the street, the kids playing tag, a man twirling a sign in front of a store. Shuichi was quick to turn his eyes away from the store. It sold videos, and the poster on the front had a big, wide Monokuma grin. 

'It's like no matter what happens, we can't truly escape him...' he thought bitterly, scowling as his mood darkened.

...

...

Dammit, what _was_ taking Kirumi so long? 

Huffing in annoyance, he pushed himself off the wall. Well, if she was taking this long, perhaps he should go look for her. He already had an idea of where she might've been, as he remembered the empty pill bottle he found in the waste bin that morning. Nodding to himself, he turned to enter the department store, but froze in place.

And she froze too.

Could...could it really be? Shuichi felt his stomach swell with butterflies as he stared at the girl who just exited the store, their eyes locking as they stood motionlessly.

The blonde hair, the round face, those bright plum eyes, and that unmistakable ahoge...

"K-Ka...ede?" Shuichi whispered, his eyes welling up with tears, a pained grin spreading across his face. "Is...is that you?"

"..." the girl squinted her eyes, looking him up and down. Suddenly, they widened again, and her hand covered her mouth in shock. "Shuichi..." she gasped. "Wh-What are you-"

"Kaede!" Shuichi exclaimed, stepping towards her. "I-I was wondering if I would ever see you again! I missed you so mu-"

Kaede's bewildered expression suddenly vanished, replaced by an empty glare. "Stop," she said, raising a hand.

Shuichi stopped on instinct, but furrowed his brows in confusion, his smile dropping. "Kaede?" he asked. "What are you-"

The former pianist moved past him, avoiding eye contact as she kept her eyes to her feet. "This never happened," she whispered to him sharply as she passed him by. "Forget you ever saw me, okay?"

"What?" Shuichi exclaimed, spinning around. "Kaede, what does that-" He cut himself off, the girl had vanished, blending in with the crowd. 

"How...how can I just forget you, Kaede?" he whispered to himself, drooping low. "Why would you want me to-"

The store's door opened again, cutting him off. He turned around as Kirumi approached him. "Kirumi!" he called to her. "Guess what? You won't believe who I just..." he trailed off when he noticed how stiff Kirumi was walking, and how her hair had fallen over both her eyes. "...saw..." he finished lamely, biting his lip as he stepped closer to the girl.

Now that he was closer, he could see that she was practically vibrating, he could hear how shallow her breaths were, and her fists were clenched so tight he was worried she would cut off her own circulation. In one of her fists, he noticed a bottle of pills, confirming where she had been.

_"...why?"_ Kirumi spoke in a pitch barely above a faint breath. She shaked even more than before.

"Kirumi?" Shuichi asked in a hushed tone. "What's wrong, what happened?" Her reached for her shoulder, but she violently jerked away, her eyes rising to meet his. Shuichi immediately faltered, feeling completely helpless against the crazed, animalistic glare that filled her peridot eyes. 

_"Why?!"_ she demanded again, her words seething out of her clenched teeth. _"Why Kaede's and Maki's short skirts? Why Miu's unbuttoned cleavage? Why Angie's bikini top, SHUICHI?!"_

"Wh-what are you-?" Shuichi gulped and reached for Kirumi again, as gently as he could. "Kirumi, you're scaring me..." 

"And why...why my **_FUCKING_** maid uniform?!" Kirumi screeched, spiking her bottle of pills onto the ground. The crowd around them was quick to hurry away, not wanting to be part of the former maid's wrath. Shuichi bit his lip so hard he could taste blood as he bent down to scoop the bottle back up as Kirumi continued. She yanked at her hair wildly as she collapsed onto her knees. "WHY WAS MY PUNISHMENT ME BEING STRIPPED TO NOTHING BUT _FUCKING **LINGERIE?!"**_ She began to openly sob now, falling to her hands as her tears rained down on the pavement. "Was...was that how they got their sick kicks?" she whimpered, her voice barely understandable as it wavered. "Were we all just...sex appeal to them? Our personalitites? Our deaths? Was it..." She let out a wailing cry. "Was it all just for...marketing SEX?!"

Shuichi couldn't bear to hear anymore, and he wordlessly fell to his knees with the girl, wrapping his arms as tightly as he could around her. She immediately clung to him like a baby, sobbing loudly into his shoulder as she shook with anger and despair. Shuichi closed his eyes ran his fingers through her hair, something his mother did to comfort him when he was a little kid. "Shhhh..." he cooed gently, his other hand rubbing her back. "Kirumi, none of us saw you like that...I never saw you like that."

It was a reversal of roles, he noticed. First, she had comforted him in one of his darkest hours, and now here he was doing the same thing.

"We were your friends," he continued, "and I'm still your friend. I'm sorry I couldn't help with whatever happened in there but I'm here for you now. I'll stay by your side, no matter what."

"...thank you," Kirumi whispered into his shoulder, tightening her grip.

"I'll stay too," a deep voice growled as another pair of arms wrapped around the pair, surprising them. Shuichi glanced up, and his eyes widened. 

"Wait...Kaito?"

"It doesn't matter if it was part of some twisted game with twisted morals," Kaito snarled, glancing down at Kirumi. "I'll always think of you guys as my real friends. Because I _believe_ in the bonds we share."

"Kaito..." Kirumi whispered, tears still streaming down her face as she gazed at the young man with wonder. 

"Now you tell me who did this," Kaito demanded, eyes narrowing as he turned his gaze towards the shopping mall. "And I'll fucking kill them."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AO3 seemed to do this weird glitch last chapter where my closing author's note I wrote for chapter one appeared right under the closing note I wrote for chapter two. I don't know how how it happens, or if only I can see it, just letting you know as a heads up. Ignore it...I guess? Whatever. Anyway, thank you for reading! Next chapter will be Kiyo's time to shine!


	4. Guilt, Secrets, and Voices

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writer's block led to this one taking much longer to pop out than I would've liked. It'll be a little on the shorter side, but I hope you still enjoy it. WARNING! The last third of this chapter contains self harm. Please be cautious as you read through this chapter, and please stay safe if the chapter triggers a reaction.

He would have to have his friend photoshop the selfie, the pharmacist decided as he let his eyes wander over the young woman he had taken the picture with. No doubt it would be a popular photo once posted online. but first he would need a way to remove the barely contained malice on Kirumi Tojo's face. Her peridot eyes glared back at him, a fire that threatened to burn down his entire store. She hadn't smiled, although no definitions existed that could describe the way her mouth twisted with hatred. The pharmacist licked his lips as he remembered how tense she was when he put his hand on her waist. Yet, despite all of that, she was still...

"So soft," the pharmacist whispered, gently caressing his phone as he leaned back in his seat. Kirumi Tojo...a fan favorite, for sure. Several articles had been written on the latest season of Danganronpa, and it had seemed the creators were surprised by how beloved the Ultimate Maid had become, and how devestated her fanbase was when she was executed. The pharmacist had been among that fanbase, Kirumi Tojo had struck such a chord with him. Her desire to serve others, the elegant manner she postured herself, that haunting beauty she possessed thanks to her gothic attire, pale skin, and large eyes. The pharmacist had never had a woman to call his own, but if he ever did, he hoped she'd be half of like what Kirumi was.

Sighing and putting his phone back into his pocket, the older gentleman turned to his computer and returned to his work, humming quietly to himself. He didn't make it very far into his job when he heard a pair of footsteps walk in. Rolling his eyes and grumbling to himself, he rose to his feet and bowed to greet his latest customers. "Welcome to my humble pharmacy," he recited. "Please let me know if there's anything I can assi- Eh?" He looked up and cut himself off, eyebrows furrowing curiously as he stared at the sight before him.

"Yeah." Kaito Momota snapped as he stopped in front of the desk, eyes locking onto the pharmacist. Shuichi Saihara stood behind him, a dark expression blackening his face. The pharmacist noticed how the former Ultimate Detective quivered, his face twisting into a scowl. The older man felt sweat begin to bead along his brow, his heart skipping a beat as anxiety spilled into his gut. What were two more Danganronpa stars doing in his pharmacy, and why did he feel afraid being near them?

Putting on his best smile, he gulped and took a step back. "W-Well?" he asked.

Shuichi stepped forward as Kaito moved to the side, circling around the desk like a wolf would circle around a wounded deer. "We need to use your phone," the former ultimate detective hissed, leaning forward dangerously. "Now."

The pharmacist tried to ignore how murderous the boy's tone sounded, and he nodded immediately. "O-Of course," he squeaked, flinching when he heard himself. "P-Please, it's over towards the ba-" He froze when a strong hand slammed onto his shoulder, nearly taking him to the ground as it gripped him so hard he feared he would lose an arm.

"Not that phone, pal..." Kaito growled from behind the pharmacist. "I'm talking about the one in your pocket."

The pharmacist's eyes widened when the realization of why the two were here clicked, "I-I-I-I'm afraid I d-don't know what y-you're talking about..." he tried bluffing, eyes darting over to Shuichi as the boy approached the entrance, casually reaching up and pulling down the store's metal door. The pharmacist nearly wet himself as the view of the mall disappeared, replaced only by cold, unfeeling steel. "U-Um, sir-"

"Give us the fucking cellphone before we beat it out of you!" Kaito barked, shoving the older man into his chair. The chair could not handle the sudden weight and toppled over, sending the pharmacist sprawling onto the floor. He groaned in pain as he attempted to rise to his feet, but Kaito was quick to hoist him up and slam his skull onto the desk, keeping it pinned there as blood leaked out of the older man's bent nose. "DO I NEED TO REPEAT MYSELF?!" Kaito yelled, raising the man's head and slamming it down once more.

"N-No!" the pharmacist croaked as he weakly reached into his pocket, his shaking hands pulling out his cellphone and presenting it to the former ultimate astronaut. "T-Take it! Just p-p-please don't hurt me anymore!"

Kaito snatched the cellphone and shook his head. "You don't get to make demands here, pal," he snarled, digging his fingernails into the man's scalp. "What happens to you all depends on what Shuichi thinks." He turned to face Shuichi, tossing the cellphone to him. "Go ahead," he said as the other boy caught it. 

Shuichi flipped open the phone and froze. The pharmacist began to panic as Shuichi's eyes seemed to shrink back, and the boy turned to him with hell written all over his face. The pharmacist wet himself, and he began to struggle as Kaito continued to hold him down. "IT WAS JUST A PICTURE!" the pharmacist shrieked in fright, eyes bulging. "NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED, I SWEAR! PLEASE JUST-" He was cut off by a fist to the ribs, suddently struggling to breathe.

"I told you!" Kaito reminded him. "You don't get to make demands here!" He turned back to his friend and frowned. "Well, Shuichi?" he asked. "It's your call, man."

"..." Shuichi glanced down at the phone again, his whole body shaking with rage he didn't know how to handle. He had never felt this angry about anything before. The world flashed into red, and he swore he heard Monokuma's faint laughter ringing throughout the pharmacy. Kirumi's rage filled eyes stared back at him through the pharmacist's phone, and with a growl the boy boy broke it over his knee. Tossing the pieces aside, he approached the terrified pharmacist, who was staring at him manically with eyes filled with tears. The man's glasses had been forgotten long ago, revealing the disgusting squint he possessed. 

Shuichi kneeled down until he was level with the panicking old man. "You hurt Kirumi..." he murmured, reaching out and grabbing the man's ear. He ignored the pharmacist's wince of pain. "You hurt my friend."

"F-Friend?" the old man spat, wheezing. "B-But...it's all fake! N-None of you even really know each oth- AUGH!" Shuichi lifted the man's head by his ear and yanked him over the desk, grabbing his collar and bringing himself within an inch of the man's face.

"it's people like you who kept that game running," the former detective hissed. "People like you are responsible for what my friends and I had to go through. All because you thought putting us through hope and despair would be all society needed to feel better about itself." Shuichi dropped the pharmacist, backing away. "And you had to remind Kirumi of that. So now...you're going to feel despair." He glanced up at Kaito and nodded. "Don't kill him, but be sure to give him a lesson he'll never forget," he said. "Make sure he's too scared to talk about this, I'll go wait outside. I need to check on Kirumi." He turned away and walked through the back, finding an emergency exit as the sounds of Kaito beating the old man echoed through his ears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kaito practically tore open the fridge door, grabbing at a soda can before ripping open the top and guzzling down the whole drink in one go. Shuichi watched him from the kitchen table, absentmindedly wringing his hands together as dark thoughts filled his mind. Kaito collapsed onto the chair across from him and leaned forward, frowning. "You okay, bud?" he asked.

"Yeah..." Shuichi muttered, glancing down at his tightly wrung hands. He noticed how pale they were, and how they were still shaking, even after hours had passed since they started. He closed his eyes, the image of that tormented pharmacist still fresh in his mind. The absolute look of terror...of _despair_ he had. Shuichi shuddered and lowered his face onto the table. Christ, had he really been the cause of that? What had come over him? He knew who he was, or at least he thought he did, and he didn't want to think he was capable of going that far. 'Were we...right to put him through that?' he wondered, biting his lip.

"Hey..." Kaito murmured, reaching over and patting his friend's shoulder. "Stay with me, Shuichi. Tell ol' Kaito what's eating ya."

"I just..." Shuichi lifted his head, staring down at Kaito's knuckles, dried blood still clinging to his skin. "...did we do the right thing, Kaito?"

Kaito sighed and pulled back his hand, rising to his feet. "Hey now," he said sternly, "don't you go doubting yourself now. Maybe you're not used to things going that far south, but we taught that guy a lesson." He pointed towards the direction of Shuichi's bedroom, where Kirumi was currently resting after suffering her breakdown. "That son of a bitch hurt our friend, the girl that came to you in her time of need! And we did what we had to in order to get her some damn justice!"

"But..." Shuichi ran a shaking hand through his hair. "It...it was just a pho-"

_SLAP!_

The former ultimate detective nearly collapsed from his seat, his cheek bright red and burning like thousands of fire ants. Shuichi hissed in pain and scooted his seat back, clutching his cheek in pain as he gazed at Kaito in shock. The former astronaut looked positively furious, his teeth were clenched like a steel trap, his chest heaving as if he had just sprinted through a marathon. Shuichi gulped and shakingly rose to his feet. "Kaito..." he whimpered.

"I know you don't fucking believe that bullshit, Shuichi!" Kaito barked, stomping towards his friend. He stopped an inch from him, his breath spreading across Shuichi's face. "I saw that look on your face! You were getting ready to murder that fucker! You saw how he hurt Kirumi and you took action! That's _nothing_ to be ashamed of, Shuichi!"

"WELL I AM ASHAMED OF IT!" Shuichi shot back, raising his voice to surpass Kaito's. "F-FUCK! Kaito, don't you get it? I can barely even recognize us, looking back at that moment! I-It was like...like..."

"Like what?" Kaito asked, eyes softening.

Shuichi took a deep, shaky inhale. "Like...like rewatching our audition tapes..." he admitted.

Kaito blinked. "Shuichi...when did you watch those?" he wondered.

Shuichi collapsed back into his chair and through his face in his hands. "Final trial," he answered. "Tsumugi showed us...They were horrible. They revealed truths about us I didn't want to believe...truths about you." Shuichi looked up at Kaito, tears beginning to fall. "You said...you wanted to murder people, Kaito."

"Wha?" Kaito shook his head. "Shuichi, you know that I didn't mean actual mur-"

_"Of course I know that!"_ Shuichi hissed, glaring. "But Himiko, Maki, and I weren't LIKE the rest of you! We didn't get our memories back when we died, we thought everything was real until we walked out of the school! I thought my best friend might've been a murderer! And today..." Shuichi's head fell onto the table. "...I thought that again..."

"..." Silence. Moments passed, until a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind. 

Shuichi sighed. "Kaito...not now, man," he grumbled.

"Uh...that's not me, dude." Kaito's voice answered.

Shuichi sat up and looked behind him, eyes widening. "Kirumi!" he gasped. "What are you doing up? You should be resting."

"We all should," she answered, kneeling down until she was eye level with him. "Shuichi...I know how difficult it must have been for you, what you and Kaito did, but..." She bit her lip. "I'm happy you two stood up for me. Maybe...maybe it's wrong that I feel that way, but I don't want you to feel sad about this." 

"Kirumi, I..." Shuichi trailed off, and looked away. He desperately wished he hadn't taken off his hat when he returned home, and he tugged at his bangs for a substitute. "I'm sorry...you're right, I just wanted to protect you... And I scared myself doing so."

_"Upupupu~"_ a little voice giggled in the back of his mind.

Kirumi smiled and extended her arms, asking permission for a hug. Shuichi nodded and obliged, the two wrapping their arms around each other. Kaito rolled his eyes at the display and threw his hands up in the air. "Of course," he groaned, "a fella always listens if it's a cute girl telling him. Who would've thought?" He trudged into the living room, calling over his shoulder, "I'll be chilling on the couch if anybody wants to join." 

A few moments passed, and Shuichi took comfort with the gentle way Kirumi rubbed his back. "Should we join him?" he asked. 

Kirumi shrugged. "Only if you'd like to."

The two stood up and nodded to each other, rounding the corner and seeing Kaito lounging on the far side of the couch. Shuichi sat down next to him at the center, Kirumi rounding out the couch's remaining space by taking the other side. The three sat in silence for awhile, none of them knowing what they should be saying. It was only then that Shuichi began to realize the situation he was in. He hadn't expected anybody other than Kirumi to ever find him, and yet here the former astronaut was, inches away from him. What should they be talking about? The adrenaline had left their systems, now Shuichi was struggling to find a topic like they were in some kind of high school reunion. He glanced at Kirumi for a possible answer, but her eyes were trained onto the blank TV, her hands wringing together. Huh, was that something she had always done? Shuichi had always seen her with her hands folded neatly together when they were in Hope's Peak. She had always seemed so calm and logical. Was she actually just hiding all her anxiety?

Kirumi met his glance and frowned, eyes flicking back to the TV, then back at him. Shuichi nodded after a second, realizing what she was insinuating. Clearing his throat, he turned to Kaito and said, "The remote is over on that shelf, if you wanna turn it on."

Kaito grinned. "Thanks, buddy!" he chirped, stretching himself over the end of the couch and making a grab for the remote. "Anything you guys are interested in?"

"Not in particular," Kirumi answered, leaning back against the cushions. "Just...something to take our minds off of earlier."

Kaito hummed and began to flick through various channels, only lingering on each for a few seconds before switching to the next one. 

"So..." Shuichi awkwardly began as they passed by the same nature documentary for the fifth time. "What were you doing in town, Kaito?"

"Huh?" Kaito blinked, then shrugged. "I was just passing through. The train doesn't have a straight way from my part of the city to where I wanted to go, so I was actually just on my way to the next station." He chuckled and clapped a hand on Shuichi's shoulder, smiling brightly. "But I never would've thought I'd see you guys again! This is great!"

Kirumi nodded and returned the smile with her own. "It was surprising to see you again, but I'm happy to know Shuichi and I aren't alone here."

Kaito stood up and stuck out a thumbs up. "Think about it!" he exclaimed. "I can come visit you guys now whenever I want! We can catch up on how things are going, and we can actually, you know, _learn_ about each other!" He pointed at Shuichi and laughed. "Plus, how can I possibly leave behind my trusty sidekick?" he jested, causing Shuichi to join in the laughter.

"It's been awhile since I've heard that," Shuichi said, suddenly feeling nostalgic. "There...were good times at the school, even among all the bad."

Kirumi sighed and closed her eyes. "Those first few days were...so simple," she muttered. "All of you constantly begged me to cook you everything I could."

"Of course!" Kaito agreed. "You were the only one who knew anything about cooking." His smile fell, his face darkening. "After you...you know, the food sucked. Didn't have any love or passion in it, none of us had any clue what we were doing."

The light mood died almost immediately, a heavy regret looming over the three. Kaito immediately looked guilty of what he had just said, turning away from the two as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head. Kirumi's hair fell over her eyes, her hands white as she gripped them as tightly as Shuichi had ever seen. Once again, she seemed so...small. It was something Shuichi was still trying to get a grip on. He had to remind himself that the Ultimate Maid was a fictional persona, and that the Kirumi he knew now was her in appearance only. It hadn't been too long since she appeared at his apartment, he guessed they would still have things about each other to get used to.

'I wonder if she thinks the same thing,' he sighed. Was she also struggling to see him beyond the Ultimate Detective? In all honesty, Shuichi didn't consider himself that smart, certainly not smart enough to come anywhere close to being a detective.

He reached out and gently placed his hand on Kirumi's. She let out a sigh of relief, gently patting his hand in return. 'Don't worry,' he silently told her, 'I'll get things back on track.' Turning back to Kaito, he stood up and approached his friend, patting his back gently. "So," he started, "have you heard anything from everybody else?"

Kaito turned and waved his hand in a "so-so" motion. "Kinda?" he sheepishly answered, furrowing his brow.

"Kind of?" Kirumi arched an eyebrow, before standing to join the boys.

Kaito nodded and paced around the room. "Well..." he trailed off. "To be honest, before running into you guys, I was going to go check out...Maki's school."

"Maki?" Kirumi repeated, turning to Shuichi. "Does Maki attend our school?" she asked him.

Shuichi rubbed his chin in thought, then shook his head. "No, I haven't seen her," he replied. "It's just you and me at that school, as far as I can tell."

Kaito shugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I doubt you go to school with her," he chimed in. "Like I said, I was just passing by, so the school here isn't the one I'm after."

"Does Maki know you're planning on visiting her?" Shuichi asked. "I'd like to talk to her too, if I knew where she was."

"...not really, no," Kaito grumbled, glancing towards his feet. "I...I had some trouble with the whole legal system, I'm technically not even supposed to be this far out of my neighborhood."

"Doesn't that worry you?" Kirumi wondered. "If you get caught, you'll be in a lot of trouble."

"Tch." Kaito tutted, shaking his head. "I don't regret what I did to end up here, so I don't really care whether or not they catch me." He smiled genuinely and stepped between the two others, throwing his arms over their shoulders. Kirumi let out an indignified yelp as Kaito pulled them close. "Besides, it led me to you guys!" he cheered. "This has to be a sign of some kind, right?"

"I-I suppose so," Shuichi awkwardly agreed.

"Hey, wait," Kaito continued, letting go of his friends. "You guys didn't happen to run into anyone else, have you?"

Shuichi stiffened and was suddenly interested in his feet. His sudden change in behavior didn't go unnoticed by Kirumi, who watched him with mild concern. She turned away from the former detective and shook her head. "I'm afraid I haven't," she sighed. "I have only met Shuichi because I sought him out specifically. I didn't have time to search for the others."

"Hmph." Kaito grunted, not trying very hard to mask his disappointment. "Oh well, I'm sure we'll see them again, just as soon as I find Maki-Roll."

Shuichi chuckled, doing his best to hide the small ball of anxiety in his throat. "Still calling her that?" he teased. "You have it bad, Kaito."

"Well of course I do!" Kaito shot back. "I gotta believe that those moments we shared weren't scripted, and that it was our own free will! It wasn't the Ultimate Assassin I fell for, it was Maki Harukawa! And it wasn't some Ultimate Astronaut that fell for her, either!" He thumped a fist against his chest. "It was Kaito Momoda, plain and simple!" He pointed his finger between the two. "I mean, look at you guys." he said. "The Ultimate Maid wouldn't be chatting up her fellow classmates, and yet you and Shuichi spent loads of time together at Hope's Peak! That can't be scripted, that's all you guys!"

"That..." Shuichi trailed off, then smiled. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Kaito."

"I...I needed to hear that today," Kirumi muttered, blushing. "You're a good person, Kaito."

"Aw, shucks..." Kaito groaned, rubbing the back of his necks. "I'm really glad I found you guys..." He cleared his throat. "Speaking of which, how'd you two end here together?" 

"Ah," Kirumi clicked her tongue. "Well, Shuichi and I go to the same school," she explained. "A big coincidence, I know, but we became friends again after meeting each other."

'Huh?' Shuichi grunted, looking at Kirumi in confusion. Her face was perfectly calm, nothing out of the ordinary. 'Is she...telling the same lie we told my mom? But why?' He bit his lip anxiously. 'We can trust Kaito, right? He's just like us. Why is she changing the truth?'

"...my house had its pipes burst," the former maid continued, brushing hair away from her face. "The whole place practically flooded in an instant. My parents left to go stay at my uncle's house, but his house is fairly small and he couldn't fit all three of us. Before this weekend, Shuichi kindly offered that I stay at his place." She did a short curtsy and smiled. "So, I cook and clean up a little for him, as a thank you."

'Is Kirumi...hiding something?' Shuichi asked himself. 'She was already secretive about her pills until this afternoon, and now that I think about it...' Yeah, right...She never did tell him _why_ she left home. Why was that? Did something bad happen? 'Kirumi...What secrets are you hiding?'

Kaito whistled and shook his head. "Yeah, that'll do it," he said. "I remember when the pipes burst at my grandparents' place, that was a nightmare and a half to deal with." He tapped his chin in thought, then snapped his fingers. "Aha! Hey, I helped my gramps clean up the place after it flooded, I bet I can help you guys ou-"

"That won't be needed," Kirumi interjected quickly, "my father already hired some people."

"Aw, dammit," Kaito winced. "Coulda used the money too." He looked around and hummed. "Does anybody got the time?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah, hold on..." Shuichi pulled out his cellphone took a quick glance at it. "1:30, why?"

"Yeah..." the former Ultimate Astronaut sighed and shrugged. "I should probably be heading back soon before my grandparents start worrying about me."

"You have a curfew?" Kirumi asked.

"Nah," Kaito grunted. "Just promised to help my gramps with some things around the house after I finished my thing. So I need to hurry up and get going."

"Damn," Shuichi sighed. "We'll see you again, though, right?"

"Of course!" Kaito exclaimed. "No way I'm abandoning my trusty sidekick! Hand me your phone and I'll jot my number in it."

"Sounds great!" Shuichi waited as Kaito typed his number in. When he was done, the former astronaut handed the phone back and turned to Kirumi.

"I can give you my number too, Kirumi," he offered.

Kirumi shook her head. "Unfortunately, my phone was a victim of the flood." she declined solemnly. 

"Damn, that sucks." Kaito winced, then turned to Shuichi. "Shuichi, you're gonna buy her a new phone, ain't ya?"

"What?!"

"Yes, Shuichi," Kirumi chuckled as a sly grin formed across her lips. "You'll buy me a new phone?"

"W-What's with this all of a sudden?" the boy bawked as his friends laughed at his expense. Kaito continued laughing as he waved goodbye to his reunited friends and stepped out of the front door. As soon as it closed, Kirumi's and Shuichi's faces fell, and they turned to each other with hardened gazes.

"What was that about?" the both asked at the same time. Kirumi blinked and tilted her head. 

"Whatever do you mean?" she asked, a little too innocently.

"You lied to Kaito," Shuichi said, frowning. "Why? Couldn't we have trusted him with what happened?" 

'What are you hiding from me?' he nearly questioned, but bit his tongue and stayed silent, waiting for the former maid's answer.

He didn't miss how Kirumi once again wrung her hands together. It must have been some sort of nervous tick she had, which meant she knew the answer would be uncomfortable. Shuichi internally sighed, a knot already forming in his gut. Perhaps it would've been better if he hadn't asked at all. He braced himself as Kirumi opened her mouth.

"I-I simply thought it would be wise to keep our story consistent with everyone we meet," she explained, staring down at her feet. "Better that than have someone mention something another person isn't meant to hear."

'She's lying,' was Shuichi's first thought, but he forced it into the back of his mind. "I guess so..." he mumbled instead.

"Say Kaito was to visit while your mother was at home," Kirumi hypothesized. "What if he mentioned our situation without realizing we told a different story to her?"

Shuichi sighed and was forced to agree. "That...that would be bad."

"And what about you?" Kirumi asked.

"Huh?"

"You seemed to be hiding something when Kaito asked if we had seen anyone else," Kirumi pressed, her eyes softening. "Did you...see someone else?"

"..." Shuichi instinctually tugged at his bangs, covering his face.

"Shuichi...?" Kirumi reached for him, her hand hovering over his shoulder as she wondered if he wanted her touch or not.

"I saw Kaede..." Shuichi whispered. "Today, while you were in the mall."

"What?!" Kirumi gasped, grasping Shuichi's shoulders. "That's great! How was sh-"

"She told me to forget about her..." Shuichi whimpered, his shoulders beginning to shake.

"..." Wordlessly, Kirumi led him all the way back to his bedroom, where she had him sit on the edge of his bed. She sighed and kneeled down in front of him until their faces were level. Gently, she used a finger to lift his chin, forcing him to look at her. His eyes looked entirely liquid, it was frankly staggering that he hadn't bursted into a full sob at this point. Kirumi pursed her lips and tilted her head. "Tell me about it," she said.

Shuichi immediately shook his head. "No," he choked. "I-I-I don't want to be selfish after you had such a bad experience..."

"I told you, you've already helped me," she affirmed. "Now it's my turn. Just because one of us had a bad experience doesn't mean the other isn't entitled to theirs."

"..." Shuichi sniffled and took a deep breath. "I was just...so fucking happy, you know?" he whispered. "I..I wanted to see her again ever since the first trial. She was my rock during those first days, she made me feel..." He paused. "Special. Worthy. Not a waste of space. I know she must've been scripted to be a kind, caring woman and I was scripted to be a shy, introverted loser, but..." He squeezed his eyes shut. "I figured...I figured that she must have been that way...That she really was this kind, caring, _dazzling_ spectacle of a girl! And...And I _wanted_ that!"

"You love her," Kirumi guessed.

Shuichi nodded. "Of course I do..." he sighed. "How...How could I not?"

"..." Kirumi hummed. "So...what did meeting her feel like?"

"Like the world was finally lifted from my shoulders," he responded, laughing bitterly. "Like seeing color for the first time...I thought that was it. For some reason, I thought I'd sweep her up in my arms and we'd ride into the sunset together. I thought I'd get to listen to her play piano, and we'd sit there together as she tries to teach me how to play. Like some cheesy scene in a rom-com, you know?

"But no," he continued. "I could barely get anything out before she told me to forget about her, and then she just...disappeared." The boy's eyes opened, and he cursed quietly as tears tumbled down his cheeks. "Shit..."

"It's okay to let them out, you know," Kirumi told him, reaching up and wiping one away with her thumb.

"...thanks," Shuichi muttered. "How...How can she just expect me to forget about her, Kirumi? How could I possibly..."

"I...I'm not sure how to approach this," Kirumi admitted, frowning. "Do you respect her wishes or do you keep pursuing her?"

"Ugh!" Shuichi groaned and threw his hands up in the air. "Of course I want to pursue her! But...I don't want to be a creep. I just! I-" He collapsed back into his pillow, crying softly as he stared up at the ceiling. "I just want to see Kaede..."

He felt the bed sag next to him, and he became aware of Kirumi laying next to him, her eyes trained on the ceiling with him. "I can't say for sure I know how to help you..." she said, reaching over and taking his hand. She squeezed it gently. "But...whatever you choose to do, know I'll support you. If seeing Kaede is what you want, I'll do everything I can to help you get there."

"..." Shuichi returned the squeeze. "Thank you..." he breathed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kiyo?" Kotone's voice sounded from the other side of the locked door. "Kiyo, what's taking so long? You're going to miss our show!"

"..." He didn't answer, too fixated on himself in the mirror. He was dressed in nothing but his boxer shorts, his pale, skinny frame so ugly in his eyes. So horrid, so impure... He raised a hand to his, gently tracing it with long, spindly fingers that reminded him of a vampire. Was he always this feminine? His lips were redder than he remembered, his lashes longer and his skin much more porcelain. 

"Kiyoooo~" Kotone continued to call. "You better come out of there! You're going to _love_ what I cooked for you!"

His yellow eyes flicked briefly towards the door, narrowing into slits. Was...was she inside him? Did the demon that took hold on him when he murdered those two girls just come back to torment him once more?! He closed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his hands against the mirror. No...No, that couldn't be it... 'Breathe,' he told himself. 'Breathe, and remember where you are...'

Right...he wasn't a murderer, was he? It...it was fiction, make believe. A script he had followed like a dedicated actor, correct? 

"I'm...I'm okay..." he whispered, before clearing his throat. "Coming, Kotone," he called back. "Just...give me a minute to wash up!"

"Alright, if you say so," Kotone answered. "Don't take too long, okay?" He heard her footsteps pad away, and he sighed. Dammit...he definitely needed to get a grip on things.

His doctor had explained that Danganronpa had a very damaging effect on his mental health. Not that Korekiyo had been surprised all that much. His audition tape looped in his head constantly, causing him severe headaches and nausea. 'They labeled me a monster...' he grimaced, reaching down onto the floor for his pants. Perhaps they were right...He could still perfectly picture his two murder victims clearly, even all these months later. They were, other than a few small details noticed only by a certain ultimate detective, the perfect murders. No one would have suspected the seesaw trick, nobody could've cracked the case of the locked room. Those methods played out over and over again in Korekiyo's dreams, leaving him without any relaxing sleep. Even now, gazing at himself in the mirror as he shimmied his pants on, the dark circles under his eyes were quite a ghastly sight. The few times he had been outside had been filled with frightened glances from strangers.

Even if it was all just a script...it was Korekiyo who had, by all means, CHOSEN to kill. He had gone through with his plans with no hesitation. Was he...was he capable of that cold, senseless murder in the real world? Were they right to label him a bloodthirsty monster in that damn show, did they look past his shabby appearance and drab backstory and see him for what he truly was?

'And they used Kotone...' he sighed.

The...incestous angle they took him in was a shock, for sure. The first night...hell, the first few months being back home with Kotone had been as awkward as can be. Even now, he could barely even look at her without a chill running down his spine. Bless the girl's heart, she tried everything in her power to make life normal again for him. 

But...maybe normal was simply an impossibility.

"I should head out now..." the pale boy murmured to himself. "I shouldn't keep her waiting..."

Tossing on his T-shirt, he had just reached for the doorknob when a faint laughter cut through his heart like a blade of ice.

_"Upupupu~"_

"No..." Korekiyo gasped, turning around. "No...that, that can't-"

_"Is that any way to talk to your headmaster, Kiyo?"_ the high pitched squeal cackled from the bathroom mirror. Korekiyo cautiously approached it, eyes wide and heart pounding as he fearfully glanced into the mirror, nearly falling back as that damn black and white bear grinned wickedly back at him.

"You!" he hissed, pressing himself against the wall. "What are YOU doing here?!"

Monokuma tilted his head. _"Hm?"_ he hummed curiously. _"Is it wrong for a bear to want to check in on his FAVORITE student?"_

"F-F-Favorite?" Korekiyo stuttered, frost coursing through his veins and freezing him in place.

_"You didn't know?"_ Monokuma gasped, his paws clapping against his mouth. _"Of course you're my favorite student! You made the killing game sooooo much fun, after all! The bloodthirsty monsters always get little ol' me's blood pumping!"_

"I-I-I'm not...a monster..!" the boy protested weakly, sweat running down his face. 

_"Oh, of course you are!"_ Monokuma exclaimed, throwing his paws into the air. _"You can't deny it! You loved murdering those two, you SAVORED it! Script or no script, that was all you, big guy!"_

"It...No it wasn't!" Korekiyo cried, slamming his fists against the mirror. It cracked and split Monokuma's form, the bear paying no mind to the damage.

"Kiyo?" Kotone's muffled voice called from the other side of the door. "Kiyo, are you okay in there?"

_"And then there's your sister!"_ Monkuma guffawed, throwing himself back in a hysterical fit of laughter. _"Upupupu!! She's pretty cute, ain't she? Do you think they knew how much you wanted her? Do you think that school was a fantasy come true for you?! You absolute RIOT, Kiyo!"_

"That's wrong!" Korekiyo shouted at that damn bear. "How could you even say something like that?!"

"Kiyo!" Kotone cried, the doorknob jiggling. "Kiyo, open this door NOW!"

_"Or perhaps..."_ Monokuma pondered. _"Perhaps you prefer the company of CORPSES!!"_

**"AUGHHHH!"** Korekiyo screamed as his throat went hoarse, reeling his fist back and shattering the mirror, finally ridding himself on the bear as glass scattered all around him.

He gasped loudly, falling back onto his rear end as he leaned against the wall, closing his eyes and trying to forget the world around him. He ignored what his sister was screaming now, even when he heard her calling his doctor. "It...It doesn't matter now...I suppose..." he croaked.

'Please...' he begged, curling his legs up to his chest and burying his face in them. 'Please...please give me a way to forgive myself...'

_"There is..."_ a soft, bubbly voice whispered sensually in his ear. _"Atua will forgive you of all your sins..."_

"Please..." Korekiyo whimpered. "Give me anything..."

A gentle force pulled at his hand, guiding it towards a large shard of glass. _"This will be your atonement, you degenerate..."_ a harsher voice hissed.

"Thank you..." Korekiyo wrapped his fingers around the shard, ignoring how easily it cut through his skin. 

_"Good boy~"_ the first voice moaned. _"Now, let Atua guide your movements. He will set you free..."_

"That's all I ask..." the boy whispered, extending his wrist and letting the shard rest on it. "This...this will have you forgive me?"

The voices remained silent.

"I hope so..." he sighed, closing his eyes as he braced himself.

"KIYO!" his sister screeched as she pounded on the door. "KIYO, PLEASE! DON'T DO THIS!"

'Kotone...' Korekiyo thought as blood cascaded from his open wrists. 'I'm sorry...Please, forgive me...'

His vision faded to black as the door finally burst open, Kotone's shrill sobs of terror being the last thing he heard before losing consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath of Kiyo's POV will probably be the first thing covered on the next chapter, so you won't have to wait too long for a conclusion. Honestly, writing about self harm gives me nausea. I had a friend who used to cut herself and it's still something I feel haunted by. I'm going to go take a shower, and you all take care of yourselves. Thank you for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> Started writing at two in the morning and finished at seven in the morning. My back hurts and my eyes stopped working an hour okay. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


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